The Wednesday Journal sent questionnaires to each person running for public office in 2025. The Journal’s questions are in bold and the candidate’s responses are below.
Last summer, Wednesday Journal reported on a demonstration by district parents and teachers expressing concerns over student safety and behavioral policy. What do you make of D97’s behavioral policies?
D97 has adopted an equitable vision statement that allows for alignment of all aspects of the district to evaluate the systems in place. The ongoing conversations that raise awareness about the behavioral needs of our students are important to help inform the culture and climate of our school buildings. D97’s restorative practices and continuum of responses for behavioral errors is available to the community, but the implementation can vary in practice from building to building. As a board member I would encourage the review of existing resources for students with behavioral needs and how we can continue to respond from a systematic and pragmatic perspective how our discipline policy is mental health resources while also emphasizing student growth and accountability.
What do you see as some of the biggest challenges facing elementary and middle school students in our post-pandemic world? How would you work to support D97 students?
Access to technology has been a remarkable tool to help close gaps in communication that occurred during school closures. However, constant access to technology may limit social and emotional development, especially at the K-3 developmental stages. D97 is facing the challenge of managing behavioral needs in a fast-paced technologically driven society where students have more autonomy in their learning that may undermine “sit and get” models of instruction. In the upper elementary and middle school years, D97 is facing a generation of students that are more likely to have background knowledge regarding mental wellness targets. In the same vain, more information, especially for middle school students can lead to misunderstanding or overgeneralizing how mental illness leads to poor student outcomes. In contrast, people dealing with mental illness can be functional and contributing members of society if resources are accepted, students are held to a high standard, and collaboration is granted by families. School administrators and families need to work together and not against each other regarding managing student behaviors.
Is there any program or resource you’ve seen implemented in another school district that you think D97 students and families would really benefit from? How would it fill an existing gap?
Partnerships between boys and girls club, big brother/big sisters, YMCA, etc have been implemented in high need districts to offer childcare and tutoring services after school for families with struggling students. The district has an achievement gap and opportunity gaps in the community as part of the challenge for struggling students is they have working families that have to prioritize making ends meet financially and having students at school for extended periods of time that enrich their learning and social needs helps close academic gaps.
What does equity in education mean to you? How would you advocate for it if elected?
Equity in education is about finding creative ways to meet students where they are and align resources to meet student needs. At times, equity does not feel fair and may at times indicate resources are redistributed to offer support to communities that need more support. However, if students and families have the means to navigate complicated school resources, community resources, and more than less is needed for the district to do for those students. That may not seem fair, but it is equitable. If families that are first generation, do not have generational wealth, and rely heavily on school resources to help feed and care for their students, then the goal is to lift the families up to improve quality of life for all D97 students. I would want us to consider how achievement gaps coincide with opportunity and privilege gaps. If we looked at the students that struggle the most, would they fit a specific demographic? If so, what schools do they attend? Where do these students live? Are there differences in resources available in the community for those families? If so, what does that look like? In other words, if our students that struggle academically, do they also mostly struggle economically? Are we setting up students to feel welcomed in our schools and community? If so, what does equity look like that would allow for better outcomes for all students, not just the ones that have the means to access the best resources locally.
With a new presidential administration has come sweeping federal changes affecting public schools. How would you look to guide the district in this new climate?
Resist any changes to social justice curriculum, uphold equity lens to drive decision-making, emphasize social studies and science as critical components of the American public schooling system that builds critical thinkers, and ensure schools are staffed by happy and well compensated, and highly trained, culturally competent teachers that are allowed to participate in a union.
