Below are candidate-submitted answers to a biographical survey Riverside-Brookfield Landmark sent out to all candidates running in this year’s elections.
Age: 44
Previous political experience:
Former Brookfield-Lagrange Park School District 95 Board Member and served on the Buildings and Ground Committee, Policy Committee and Chairman of the Superintendent’s Evaluation Committee.
Previous community experience:
Prior to becoming a Board Member I was selected to serve on the Steering Committee for the selection of the District’s Construction Management Firm. I participate annually in the Village of Brookfield’s Project N.I.C.E., assist with Girl Scouts, various service projects with the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and as a young Boy Scout in which I earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
Occupation: Licensed Architect
Education:
Bachelors of Arts in Architectural Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago
Why are you running for a seat on District 95 school board?
I have had a long interest in serving as a Board Member. I care about the quality of the District’s schools and the education they provide to the minds of our students. I am willing to engage in discussions, have an open mind and work as a team with other Board Members to strive to make our District the best it can be.
Are there any specific issues you would advocate the school board address, change or implement?
Introducing a Spanish foreign language at the elementary level and offer a second language other than Spanish at the middle school level. Also at the middle school level, continue to evolve STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) with the possible use of makerspaces which inspires hands on learning in the classroom.
By the beginning of the next school year, the renovations and expansion projects at Brook Park and S.E. Gross schools will be completed. What does the next school board need to do to ensure that initiative provides educational value to future students?
I would recommend the next School Board use the new and improved facilities to support 21st Century Education through collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking and problem solving. The physical learning environment matters.
What do you think about academic performance at schools in District 95? What areas do you believe could be improved and what action can the school board take to help improve student achievement?
The District’s academic performance can always be improved. The District should strive to lower class sizes which would focus more on each student’s needs and to have the educators advance a performance improvement plan.
Are there programs District 95 could be providing to students that it does not already provide? If so, how might those programs be implemented?
Expanding the pre-kindergarten day program to more students and tasking the administration to provide that plan and how it can be implemented with the District’s budget. Also, providing a program for after school learning hours for students that have parents that work full time. It could be shared payment program between the District and the family.
What other issues are important to you as a school board candidate? How would you advocate for them as a board member?
With the new gymnasiums at both schools I would like to see these facilities shared with local community organizations and recreation departments for evening and summertime use. I would ask the administration to reach out to the community to assist with needed resources.
