Candidates Provide Their Views on School Issues

Jim Burke, Doug Goldberg, Tony Pietro and Chris Wallace, the four candidates who are running, had an opportunity to discuss their views on a number of school-related topics during the school board candidate forum

The forum was held Thursday night at Middle School North. There are three open seats on the board up for election on Tuesday, April 5. A second forum, sponsored by the Community Unit School District 95 PTOs, will be held 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 22, in the Cafeteria.

All questions had been submitted in advance, and each candidate was given two minutes to respond. Of the four, only Wallace is not an incumbent.

Their Views on Creationism versus Evolution

“I don’t think creationism is an issue,” said Goldberg. “There’s a law in place that prevents it from being taught in our schools. When I was previously asked about this, what I said was taken out of context.”

“I agree,” said Pietro. “Since there’s a law that prohibits it from being taught, it’s not really a concern.”

All the candidates favor the teaching of evolution.

What Works, What Doesn't?

“I feel that we need more transparency on the board,” said Wallace. “You can have the minutes of a board meeting transcribed and e-mailed very easily so that everyone is aware of what’s going on.” Wallace also mentioned the implementing green initiatives as another area where improvement is needed.

While Wallace focused more on areas of improvement, Burke cited the district’s average ACT scores of 24 as something that parents and students should be proud of.

“We’ll have a surplus of around five or six million (dollars) this fiscal year and I’d like to see some of that money put back into the schools, especially in the area of technology,” said Burke.

Pietro also mentioned the surplus of capital being the result of sound and conservative fiscal policy on the board. “We’re also working towards building our curriculum, towards a more common assessment,” he said.

Goldberg lauded the community for being very engaged with the schools in the district. “We’ve got a lot to be thankful for.” The current seven-year review cycle needs an overhaul, according to Goldberg. “We need to tighten that up. It’s too long of a cycle. The world is moving too rapidly to have something this important be reviewed at seven year intervals.”

What Gets Top Priority?

Burke reiterated his desire to see some of the district’s surplus driven back into the schools, especially for technology.

Goldberg cited the aging facilities that he said need to be overhauled. “We need PCs in all of the classes. Students have far more access to technology at home than they do at school. That’s wrong and needs to be corrected.”

Pietro said that an increase in computers, as well as technology in general, is the most important priority.  Wallace again mentioned his desire for greater transparency on the school board. “There would have to be more accountability if that were the case, which is a good thing,” he said.

The Next Teachers' Contract

With just one year left on the current teachers' contract, the quartet was asked what sort of new agreement they envisioned. Pietro suggested that the existing contracts of neighboring districts should be scrutinized.

“Skyrocketing health care costs are a real problem,” he said. “That will definitely be an area of concern.”

Burke said that looking for a contract that's good for the teachers has to be the priority. “You need to be able to both keep and attract quality teachers,” he said. “So the contract will need to reflect that.”

Goldberg echoed Burke’s sentiment. “We’re blessed with a wonderful faculty. You want to retain them and keep them happy. And you also have to adjust in the context of the world around us.”

Wallace stressed fiscal responsibility. “You have to live within your means. I think that has to be taken into consideration,” he said.

All four candidates said that they support the teacher's right to collective bargaining.

Curriculum and ACT Scores

Pietro cited improving high school freshman’s math and science grades and getting as many as possible into honors classes a solid strategy to boost ACT scores. “There are also ACT prep classes that can help students.”

Burke suggested standardizing curriculum at a younger age in grade school and middle school so that students are learning at a comparable rate. Goldberg said that there's too much emphasis on ACT scores. “There’s a danger in teaching to ACT scores,” he said. “We shouldn’t focus so much on raising ACT scores. The focus should be on bringing up student’s GPA.”

Preparing Students 

Wallace cited the need to keep up with peer school districts. “It’s important for our students to stay competitive with students in other districts.” Burke and Goldberg both said that technology isn't being used enough in classrooms.

“There’s a much larger issue than just giving teachers technology to pass on to students,” said Goldberg. “It has to be used in a way that makes it interesting.”

Today’s students are very different from how they were when he was growing up, according to Pietro. “Student’s brains are wired differently today. They’re used to multi-tasking. School becomes boring for them. We have to find ways to keep that from happening.”

Wallace said students are actually spending too much time on computers. “With all of the things they do these days on computers, the various games and Facebook, they need to go out and be social.”

Registration Fee

All of the candidates said that they are against fee increases. “I was very vocal about about not raising fees last year,” said Burke. “I fought to keep them the same or have them lowered.” All concurred that, if anything, fees should be lowered.

The Next AssistaNT Superintendent

With sAssistant Superintendent of Student Services Nancy Rosenfeld retiring in a year, the candidates were asked what characteristics they would look for in Rosenfeld’s successor. Burke mentioned a greater sensitivity to the needs of special education students.

“Parents of special ed students go through a lot of hardship,” Burke said. The other three candidates agreed that would be the most important thing that they would look for in a new superintendant.

“I think the needs of special ed students are extremely important,” said Pietro.

When asked about the possibility of teachers taking pay cuts, all three of the sitting board members emphasized that the issue has never come up during any board meetings, and  were vehemently opposed.

“We want a happy faculty,” declared Pietro. “You want to be able to retain your present teachers and attract new teachers of quality,” said Burke. “Pay cuts would definitely hamper that.”

Wallace mentioned that next year’s incoming freshman class will be less than 500 for the first time in years. “Less students could mean less teachers,” he cautioned.

Green Initiatives

All of the candidates talked about the need to adapt more green initiatives into the schools. Wallace talked about the health care facility where he works installing sensors in the building’s lighting systems so that when traffic decreases in a room or given area, the lights turn off. “I don’t know if that would be possible in a school, but I think it would work.”

A greater degree of recycling and the installation of automated electrical systems are two areas that could reduce the carbon footprint of the schools, said Goldberg.  And Burke discussed a plan that he proposed to install an energy-saving lighting system in one of the school’s gyms.

ISATs As a Means to Measure Student Performance

All of the candidates had reservations about the effectiveness of using ISAT scores to measure student performance.

“ISATs are relied on to far too great of a degree,” said Burke. “And they’re not an accurate measurement for special ed students."

Goldberg said he would like to see greater consistency throughout the schools in measuring student’s academic performance.

No Teachers in the Group

When the foursome were asked if they are currently or have ever been teachers, Pietro joked and recalled that he had been a student teacher for one semester when he was in college. In fact, none of the candidates have a teaching background.