Candidate for
Board Member; Sycamore Community School District

Please visit http://www.mercurio4sycamore.com for more details.

A reasonable person listens to all concerns and makes sound decisions based on accurate information. Likewise, an effective school board member represents all voters, not just the ones that voted for him or her.

After listening to a variety of voters and community stakeholders, I truly believe that the differences in the community's vision of what Sycamore schools should look like are minimal. I am certain that I can unite the schools and the community to realize that common vision, by helping to communicate the facts about the district, much as I have done through the Sycamore Planning Commission and as a member of the May 2009 Levy Renewal Committee.

We should all be in support of school levies when necessary. As a school board member, I intend to objectively look at verifiable data when statements are made about the district and consider the criteria to which these statements are measured.

The school board oversees a variety of issues that can be categorized into three different categories. Here's my position on each: ACADEMICS, FINANCES and COMMUNICATIONS.

ACADEMICS

A strong school system benefits students, residents and businesses alike. I specifically advocate:

• Building strength from within by retaining high-quality, experienced teachers. A brilliant teacher who has years of experience connecting with children, helping them achieve and realize their potential, is difficult to replace. Sycamore must maintain its competitive edge over other area districts by continually attracting and maintaining a highly competent and effective staff. Teachers that are effective instilling the philosophy and lifelong desire of LEARNING TO THINK in students are recognized by their peers as outstanding models. Teaching is the profession that makes all other professions possible. Setting high expectations of our teachers and rewarding the achievement of those expectations will strengthen the district and the community over the long-term.

• Preparing students with a solid educational foundation. I support supplementing this core with the latest proven technological tools and methods that demonstrate a competitive advantage, benefiting Sycamore students for the rapidly changing learning environment.

• Realizing the importance of all subjects in curriculum with emphasized support for advantaged opportunities in Mathematics and Science. ALL basic, fundamental subjects and activities we currently teach are critical for students to learn and enjoy as they discover their interests and identity - none of them should be slighted. However, this country's global position and standard of living are closely tied to math and science education and achievement. In recent time, students in the United States are falling behind in academic standards in these imperative subjects, which are required for global competitiveness. As the world economy continues enlisting workers without borders, the American student needs to be equipped with an academic advantage. The Sycamore School District should improve on its historically STRONG support for any additional opportunites in math and science.

• Returning the Sycamore Planning Commission to the role for which it was originally intended: a research work group, comprising parents and community representatives, that provides high quality, useful data and feedback to the Board of Education. In turn, the board would promise honest consideration of the recommendations and implementation of results.

• Creating a "welcome" program for new residents, whereby each new resident is personally contacted and welcomed into the district. Information gathered would enable the schools to better plan for future enrollment and academic needs.

• Listening to teachers. When it comes to academic performance, data matters, but NOT as much as knowing how to connect with a particular student to achieve his/her potential to LEARN FOR LIFE. Teachers are the ones trained in education and should have their input heard and considered by any board regarding such issues.

• Creating an early childhood PTO, to help prepare future Sycamore students for enrollment in our schools. Sycamore's child readiness expectations would be presented far in advance of the traditional kindergarten orientation meeting (often the parents' first contact with the school system), which currently leave many parents scrambling to decide whether or not to send their child to school.

• Tapping into the wealth of professional and personal talent among the residents in our school district. In particular, we could leverage the knowledge and commitment of these individuals in furthering the advancement of our junior high and high school students, by

  1. creating a comprehensive database of professionals that teachers could access for use in planning,

  2. providing mentoring opportunities, and

  3. offering an evening class series for students, taught by professionals in various fields, to introduce students to numerous career options and corresponding educational requirements.

We are at a critical moment in the long-term financial outlook for Sycamore Community Schools.

THE GOOD NEWS In May, we experienced overwhelming community support in a landslide approval of a levy renewal, and, at current spending levels, the district holds a healthy, seven-month cash reserve. The district did a great job of keeping its commitment to annual growth in spending of less than 2.5 percent annually over the last five years, trending far less than growth in general inflation. In addition, the state has just recently considered suspending its plans, for the next two years, to phase out our reimbursement for the tangible personal property tax (PPT) on business inventory + that would mean more dollars than previously forecasted and will help us delay the need for new money (levy). I am hoping that we can work with the state legislature to more fairly support public schools, and to use those funds, along with constant vigilance to reduce our internal spending, to delay the next levy until 2012.

THE BAD NEWS While health care, energy and other costs continue to rise, Sycamore has not asked for additional levy funds from taxpayers since 2004. Presently, the district is operating without a long-term financial plan like the one implemented in 2004, and while working on the levy renewal in May, there was discussion of returning to the community in November of 2010 for additional levy support.

WHAT I PROPOSE While developing a new long-term financial plan, the Sycamore Board of Education must take into account the change in the tangible PPT and the district's healthy cash reserves, as well as the forthcoming reduction in staff health insurance plan expenditures.

If elected, I will work to extend the existing commitment of an average 2.5 percent annual growth cap in expenses for another three years. An extension of this commitment, along with the healthy state of Sycamore's current financial situation and state reimbursement plan, would mean we could wait until 2012 for an additional levy request. This could be the longest period in Sycamore's history that the district has waited before asking for additional levy money.

COMMUNICATIONS

No Board of Education can make wise decisions without reliable, accurate data. Neither can voters. I will work to ensure that decisions in the Sycamore school district continue to be founded upon on sound, verifiable data. I further support effectively communicating this information to the community by:

• Addressing issues affecting Sycamore via a periodic editorials in the news media by a board member.

• Continuing production and making suggestions to improve the content in the Annual Reports published by the district.

• Listening to and gathering input from teachers, administrators, and community stakeholders to make informed decisions.

• Sharing my perspective that could be used to generate graphs and figures that comparatively show where the district stands in regards to issues that affect Board decisions.

• Hiring and evaluating the district Superintendent and Treasurer

• Exercising its taxing power to provide funds for the operation of the district

• Adopting an annual budget and appropriation measures Adopting policies for the governance of the district and its schools

• Considering and voting upon the recommendations of the Superintendent in all matters of policy, appointment or dismissal of employees, salary schedules or other personnel regulations, courses of study, selection of textbooks, or other issues pertaining to the operation of schools

• Informing the public concerning the progress and needs of the schools, and to solicit and weigh public opinion as it affects the schools.