Schools

Scott McConnell: D95 School Board Candidate

There are six candidates running for four seats on the Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 board of education.

Name: Scott A. McConnell

Age: 40
Family: Wife – Ann Marie (13 Years), Jack (10), Grace (6) – both children attend May Whitney Elementary

Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Miami University (Ohio) 1995 – Majors in Accountancy and Management Information Systems

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Master of Business Administration, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, 2003

Occupation: Managing Technology Director, Allstate Investments 

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Previous Elected or Appointed Offices (please include years of service): CUSD 95 School Board 2012-Present 

Other community involvement: LZBSA Little League Coach 2008 - Present Buehler YMCA Adventure Guides Chief 2008 – 2010

Position sought:  CUSD 95 School Board Member

Campaign E-mail address: scott.mcconnell@hotmail.com

Campaign Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scott-A-Mc-Connell-Lake-Zurich-95-School-Board/172018109614246?ref=ts&fref=ts

 Why are you running?

I have had the privilege to represent the community of the CUSD School Board for just over a year.  I am running for reelection because I believe given the current fiscal condition of the State of Illinois and the Village of Lake Zurich it is imperative that the district have talented, involved, and experienced individuals on the school board who work with the administration to ensure that the district’s financial footing remains sound, that the district continues to deliver an excellent education to its students, and continues to attract great families, teachers, and administrators to our community.

In what ways would the school district benefit from your service? 

My professional background in leveraging technology to solve problems and enable solutions can help the board set correct policy related to technology and help the administration effectively uses technology to meet the needs of our students as we rollout our 1:1 technology initiative and technology changes the way educators deliver curriculum.  My financial background will allow me to capably review the finances of the district and ensure that the administration is proactively managing our budget so that we can deal with the coming challenges presented by pension reform, reductions in general state and federal funding for education, and the lower than expected performance of the Lake Zurich TIF District.  Finally, my previous experience on the board has provided me with knowledge of how boards operate, deep relationships with the rest of the board and administration, and an understanding of how to leverage those assets to be an effective board member.

What is the biggest challenge the school district faces and what should be done to address it?

The state's pension crisis, the underperformance of the Lake Zurich TIF District, the condition of the local real estate market, and increased state and federal mandates are likely to place additional budget pressures on the district over the next few years.  The district, like all districts in the state, is going to have to make some difficult choices over the next several years in order to insure its finances remain sound.  A significant amount of work has been done by the current board and administration to improve the district's finances. Reserves have been increased, conservative budgeting and spending practices have been implemented, and a new teacher's contract (2012) provides fair compensation for our teachers while controlling the growth of employee expenses. Since the largest budget issues facing the district are external, the district must continue to monitor developments in these areas and have flexible, long-range plans that can accommodate a number of possibilities. The current "Pay as you go" spending practices must continue in order to assure the district is able to manage the budget impacts without any significant cuts to educational programs.

 What do you think the district does well?

District 95 currently does a good job of preparing our students for their future.  It has a sound curriculum, excellent teachers, and outstanding community involvement.  After a budget crisis several years ago, where the district had to routinely borrow to make payroll in the spring, the district has done an exemplary job of restoring its finances and instituting sound management practices.  The district’s debt is currently rated AA+ by Fitch, AAA by S&P, and the district has achieved State Financial Recognition.

What should be some of the school district’s priorities over the next four years?

 The number one priority of the district should be a focus on improving the district's curriculum and technology penetration to enable the delivery of individualized learning and improve student outcomes. Advances in technology have led to tremendous changes in the delivery of education. Instruction can now be individualized in ways that simply weren't possible even a few years ago, allowing students to achieve better outcomes. Realizing these benefits requires widely available modern technology, modifications to the curriculum, and additional training for teachers. The district has historically lagged its peers in terms of the computer penetration and use in the classroom. The district needs to improve its computer device to student ratio to 1:1 and to continue its advances in how instruction is delivered.  Additionally, the district needs to focus on the adoption of the common core and insuring that the our curriculum is consistently delivered at all of our schools; and must monitoring the cost of higher education and prepare to increase the availability and variety of vocational/alternative education options in the High School for those students who choose not pursue a traditional four year college degree due to rising costs. 


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