I am a current school board member and parent of 3 in the district. I have been a social worker and educator for over 15 years. I have had the priviledge of being an active member in the Batavia community. I served as a successful PTO President at Grace McWayne school for 3 years. I helped on the Build a Better Batavia committee and supported the Bulldogs Unleashed campaign for Grace McWayne. I am currently the chair of Batavia Inter-school council. This unique organizations goal is to network, brainstorm and collaborate on various ways to continue the success of Batavia schools and stay connected with our community.
My goal as a board member will be to make the tough decisions while keeping Batavia a strong community with top performing schools and exceptional administrators and teachers.
Another goal as a board member is communication. Communication is key to success. I want to continue the excellent communication with our administration and BEA along with strengthening the boards communication with our community members.
I ask myself why do I live in Batavia? For many reasons, the schools, the community and the quality of life the area has to offer. When you freeze taxes your schools are at a stale mate. Batavia is a top performing district and that along with your community will suffer.
Cutting the districts budget was a decision that was difficult to make. Being a board member means making tough decisions but always keeping in mind the best interest of the students, teachers and community.
One of the many accomplishments of the Batavia BOE was balancing our budget with minimal program cuts. We also have a wonderful working relationship with our BEA, resulting in a teachers contract through successful negotiations.
I am a current board member who has the knowledge and understanding of how a successful school district functions with the support of staff, administration and the community.
I hope that being in education for the last 33 years will help me make good decisions if elected to the board. I am a good listener and try to analyze all the information before making a decision. If that means asking tough questions or have something explained again in layman’s terms, that is what I would do.
First and foremost, is to be fiscally responsible to the citizens of District 101 and to keep a balanced budget that hopefully wouldn’t cause cuts, I, would also like to see if the district can get other funding to help ease some of the overcrowding in the schools. Also a sound curriculum on all levels and make sure that the common core standards are aligned with the curriculum. We need to make sure we have quality educators and make sure we hold on to those educators in a competitive atmosphere. We want to continue to have safe schools and environments for all students, employees and visitors of District 101.
Tough question to answer at this time, without understanding all the impacts freezing has on the homeowners and school district. My goal is to keep a balanced budget like we do in our household. No one wants taxes raised, I don’t, however, I can’t in good conscious give an answer to that question at this time. If I did, I would be lying without having all the information before me.
I really can’t say one item has stuck out for me. I think under the current financial situation a lot of tough decisions had to be made and I think the board tried to limit major cuts throughout the district. Yes, raising the taxes slightly was something no one wants, but if needed to run a balanced budget and keep the programs intact, I can understand. I think there is so much information that goes on behind the scenes that citizens don’t understand or see. There were other issues in the papers and in the board minutes that showed the board had to make tough decisions on. I heard citizens complain, about some of those decisions, and that is their right. I hope citizens can come up with meaningful solutions to help the board instead of just complaining. You are not going to please everyone, but if you do your best and be upfront with everyone, you should do a good job.
Well, I would say there are two, I think the listening post meetings, is a great idea. However, I was very disappointed in the number of citizens that showed up. I was at two of three meetings and the number of attendees made me sad. I understand people are busy, but if taxes and issues related to the schools are important and you only have 10-20 people in attendance, that is a sad! This is a good way to come out and present your issues and comments to the board. Under the law they cannot respond...it is the law, I hope they are taking these issues and comments back with them for future discussions.
Second, I think the appointment of Dr. Hichens to be the next Superintendent was a great fit. I have worked with her during the last three years attending the PAC meetings at the high school and she is a good listerner, communicator and will try to find a solution to any issue.
Well, that is up to them! They can read all my answers and hopefully make a sound choice. I will say this...I am a good listener, will read everything and ask questions about everything that is presented to the board. You might not see it at board meetings, but it will be done at the committee levels. I won’t please everyone, but I hope I make sound decisions that will help the citizens and the students of District 101. I still want to be involved in education after I retire from teaching this June after 33 years. I also believe everyone should get involved with the community in some way by volunteering at the schools, joining groups related to your child’s education, or in the community at large.
I have 25 years working in public education. I have vast professional experience that I can use for the benefit of the Batavia community. I have touched the many areas of a school system, such as finance, transportation, food service, insurance, facilities and construction and technology. I am familiar with the many challenges we face given the difficult financial environment we find ourselves in. I also believe in having both short and long term outlooks to better prepare the district for what lies ahead. And I have two children attending our schools.
The two greatest challenges most school districts in the state will face are 1) the financial impact of pension reform, and 2) the dramatic shift to Common Core standards and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment requirements on the technology infrastructure for our schools. These will both be high-cost concerns that will require much attention and planning.
Most people are never in favor of raising taxes, especially in this down economy. Unfortunately, bonded debt needs to be serviced as this was a commitment by the community to allow building and expansion to take place. If the bond repayment structure requires larger payments over time, this will automatically cause an increase in that portion of the tax levy. The district could refinance the debt if the opportunity is available, or it could use operational dollars to pay a portion of the debt payment for that year. Also, you have to be cautious about not requesting a levy extension that may leave a district short on levy authority in the future, due to the nature of the tax cap legislation.
It is often easy to second-guess decisions made by someone else. I know from experience the logistics of expanding a high school while students and staff are still in attendance while construction is going on. I thought the 3-year timeframe for the High School expansion was too protracted. I know the construction was phased, but I would not have supported such a long construction schedule.
Certainly the identification and hiring of the new Superintendent has to be recognized as the biggest achievement for the current Board. It is a difficult and arduous process that is not to be taken lightly. It is the Superintendent that can either take you to the next level, or create disharmony and dysfunction. I support the Board’s decision in its choice of Dr. Hichens for that role.
As I stated earlier, I have almost 25 years of experience in all facets of public education. I have served as President of the statewide Illinois Association of School Business Officials and have presented and participated in countless professional development opportunities. I know and understand the commitment required to be an engaged school board member, and will represent the students, staff and community in the best way possible. Public education is a very complex business that requires someone who understands the multiple aspects of its operation. It would be difficult to find a more qualified Board candidate than myself.
My career as a financial advisor benefited me in a number of ways. Any good financial plan (whether it is for an individual, a company, or a school district) begins with a strong balance sheet. My experience with budgeting and cutting wasteful spending was a necessary first step to establishing a solid financial foundation for my clients. My career as a financial advisor began in Houston, Texas, the oil hub of the United States. The oil industry in Houston draws people from around the world and all parts of the U.S., so my clientele was naturally very diverse. I learned a great deal in being able to work with many different individuals and families with varying investment goals and expectations. I believe that if I am elected, I can work with others to bring about positive fiscal changes for the school district and its budget.
My top priority is to do all that I can to help Batavia build a top school system. Being a father of four grade school age children, it is important to me that our schools provide the best educational foundation possible to prepare our children for success beyond high school. Whether their path is attending a university, or heading straight into the workforce, they need to be prepared to take that next step. Equally important to me, is that an education in Batavia is achieved at the best value to the taxpayer. Too often, the “easy” solution to budget shortfalls is to look first to the taxpayers of Batavia to make up the difference in the education budget. It is important that we look at how each dollar is spent and cut out waste before we ask the taxpayers to pay more into the system.
I would support freezing my taxing district’s levy. Many people I have spoken to are tired of their taxes being raised. In this difficult economy, too many people are either out of work, had a cut in pay, or are working two jobs just to make ends meet. As a board candidate, I believe it is important to first look at our spending. Are the taxpayers paying the bill for non-essential expenditures? What spending in the budget could be trimmed or eliminated? These are some of the important questions that should be answered first, before we consider tax increases.
My decision to run for school board was not inspired by any single disagreement with a board decision. As a father, I just want the best for my kids and their education. As a citizen I want the best for our schools because I believe good school systems will draw people to Batavia. I moved my family to Batavia eight years ago, in part because the school system was better here than in other communities. I believe a strong school system is not only good for our children, but also will benefit our community by attracting people to live and work here. This I believe will benefit Batavia in the long run.
I believe the board can accomplish the most when its agenda is in line with three very important groups that make up our community. Those groups are the students, their parents, and Batavia taxpayers. I will focus my efforts so that I can best represent their interests.
Voters should elect me to office because I have four kids of my own in the Batavia school system. Therefore, I have an interest in seeing the best educational product being offered not just to my kids, but all Batavians. As a taxpayer, I want the cost of an education to be derived in a fiscally responsible way. I believe the days of simply raising taxes as a means of solving budget deficits are over. I chose to move to Batavia eight years ago based on the good reputation of the Batavia school system. I would like to have a hand in continuing to improve our schools, in a way that best serves the interest of our students and the taxpayers.
I have been very active in both church and school activities. In the past I have served as a member of our church Council, served as a member of the Evangelism Team and presently help with the LOGOS program. I also currently serve as a Ways and Means PTO Board member at Alice Gustafson Elementary School. I have also served as Room Parent and on various other committees at the school including Fun Fair and Clothing Sale. These activities have allowed me to work with people, make budgets, meet deadlines and make decisions. All very important components in a School Board Member.
If elected my top priorities would be to continue to maintain a balanced budget, work towards smaller class size and keep the open dialogue and excellent working relationship with the teachers that exists.
Yes I support freezing taxes as they have just been increased. If they are frozen though, it should be stated as to what the limits are, at what point can you start taxing again? What is the housing price rebounding to? People should know what to expect and when to expect it. When can they expect their taxes to increase again.
The decision to cut full day kindergarten. It was one of the prevailing factors as to why my husband and I moved to Batavia in the first place. I understand the reasoning behind the cut, but I don’t like it. I think, in fact I know in the case of my own older son who didn’t have full day kindergarten here in Batavia, a lot is lost when a child goes from a Pre-K environment to a half day Kindergarten. That is not to say it cannot be gained elsewhere, but it was a loss to Batavia’s Schools and their kids.
In the past year the biggest accomplishment of the board has been to balance the budget. It has been a very difficult and at times painful task, but a necessary step to maintain the health and well being of the entire School District.
I will be honest and work hard to see that the needs of the community, students and teachers are well represented. My experience working in the school with parents and teachers will serve me well on the Board. I am willing to listen to both sides of a problem, learn from others and make informed decisions.
My entire career has been one connected with science and education, focusing mainly on higher education. I have been working with both undergraduate and graduate students for the past 20 years and now have become increasingly interested in K-12 education, as my children have grown. Based on my work experience I also understand the need for fiscal responsibility and balance.
There is a lot of learning I would need to do before feeling secure in setting priorities. That being said, there are a number of things that I think we as a community need to focus on, this includes attracting and retaining the best educators possible, constantly revisiting our curriculums and educational offerings to deliver the best education possible, and doing this in a fiscally responsible manner. Not all of these issues are within the scope of the school board but where they do intersect I think they are important.
Fiscal responsibility is extremely important, but a strong education system is the best investment we can make in our community. Increasing the tax rate should be a last resort but not ruled out.
I want to start by saying I think the school board has done an excellent job during some difficult financial times. While I understand this measure is intended to fix the budget, I am concerned about its possible negative effects on the overall quality of education long term. That being said, I believe the district ought to monitor the impacts of this decision and re-evaluate its position if needed.
Related to the previous question – the board has been addressing issues related to the budget, while maintaining a quality education for our children.
I have a lot to learn but I’m passionate about education and the education system that supports our community. I pledge to do the best I possibly can to balance the needs of all parties, but with a focus on the needs of the children of our community to receive the best possible education within the bounds of the school board. Well-educated children are the best investment we can make in our community.
My background consists of a degree in Economics from the University of Iowa in 1998 with an emphasis in Political Science. I have been in talent identification and recruiting for 14 years and I have worked within and run my own business in rental management for over 20 years. I have been elected to a homeowner association’s board as President and Vice President (5 years of total term). My experience in finance and fiscal responsibility will lend very well to this role. I am involved in my community, schools and philanthropy and I believe that being elected to the school board will be able to further my passion for service to the citizens of Batavia.
Fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers of Batavia is a very high priority to me when elected to the board. It is our duty to appropriate the funds we receive to the best possible means while not expecting the community to continue to shoulder the burden tax of increases just to maintain our programs.
I would support the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) being implemented. The curriculum will provide more student readiness towards college level skills that may not be applicable to the career path they want to endeavor. It’s in the best interest to prepare every student for what they want to do in life. The current and future Board will be able to partner well and welcome the opportunity to work with, and train, educators and parents to be able to differentiate the program to meet the needs of all learners to allow our students the most success possible.
Lastly, I strongly believe that all of our students and teachers deserve to have an evenly distributed level of resources available to each of them. A plan can be rolled out that gives the best available resources to cover facilities, resources, educators, training, curriculum and extra curricular activities.
As with any institution that depends on Local, State, and Federal government funds to be sustainable, it is always a priority to see where budget issues can be addressed to prevent rising levies in taxes. Recently the current Board did present, and voted to accept, a projected 0.7% property tax increase to be levied in 2013. If this measure is adopted then it would result in an average increase of $33 per homeowner.
When it comes to tax increases, it is always difficult to ask our citizens to pay more in their taxes, but I do understand that it is necessary to do so to provide what is best for our children. I am not in favor of a blanket policy to freeze district levies just because we do not know, with certainty, what the future holds. As long as our district’s financial state continues it’s forecasted trends, it seems that the Board will not need to call upon our citizen for a future levy increases.
A decision that the board implemented about 18 months ago that I disagree with is switching from full day kindergarten to ½ day schooling unless parents pay extra for the full day option. This change significantly impacts many households in Batavia and puts added financial and time pressure on the parents of kindergarteners. I also believe that class sizes need to be reduced and additional teaching resources should be employed to do so.
In my opinion as an observer to the board and not an elected member, I believe that a significant accomplishment is coming to a balanced budget. In today’s economy with so much uncertainty in finances for communities and states; to be able to come to a balanced budget while not cutting any significant programs and maintaining a high level of education to all of our students is something to be proud of accomplishing. I also believe that the hiring of Dr. Lisa Hitchens is a significant step for this board to bring in a top qualified (considered a top 5% in her field nationwide) candidate who is highly regarded and respected locally to replace our current retiring Superintendent.
When elected I will focus my efforts in to serve the citizens of Batavia. I will strive to continually enhance the working relationship between the Board, Administrators, Educators, Students, Parents and the Taxpayers of Batavia. My attention to detail, budget experience, talent identification, a focus on moving forward to resolving issues and tenacity to come to a solution to any problem will serve the people of Batavia well. I will have open avenues of communication and have the resolve to address the concerns and comments of the citizens of Batavia.
