Finances at St Charles Community Unified School District 303. As fiscally responsible stewards of the resources allocated, it is our duty to respond to any possibility to lower the tax burden - if that opportunity should arise. Lackner, who has lived in the district since 2014, was chosen. Again, I believe that in order to hire and retain high quality teachers and staff we should provide competitive and realistic compensation and benefits. What is your assessment of how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is handled in your school district? (Shutterstock) ST. CHARLES, IL A St. Charles District 303 school board member stepped down. I am aware that a number of areas are going through a close review and the answer is not in necessarily replacing or changing curriculum; but instead monitoring the review process with integrity so that we can ensure that our students are receiving the best possible education program. I would like to work together with fellow Board members to address the important issues we face. Thomas Lentz, Mike Backer and Rivard are running for one two-year term. I understand the plans and vision for the future of the district. Barbara Diepenbrock: 2023 candidate for St. Charles Unit District 303 The Council of Europe: guardian of Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule However, we are headed into a few tough years as inflation impacts District resources. Duddles says the crowded classrooms affect many different issues, including inequity in what students receive at different schools. There are supports in place for the general social emotional needs of students throughout all grade levels of our district. In order to promote a sense of belonging amongst all groups of students, the sex ed program must be wide and inclusive as to reflect the reality of society, he said. If they do not produce results we then take steps to find better admin and experts that can produce the results and curriculum that sets up our students, teachers and staff up for the highest level of success. District #303 does not use the National Sex Education Standards, McCabe wrote in a Shaw Media election questionnaire. D303 School Board Candidates 2021: Change You CAN'T Believe IN They need strong board members they can trust that are committed to this unpaid elected position. It is up to us as your representatives, as the local representatives, to make the best possible decisions on those tough issues for our kids.. He brings the experience we need, the strong communication skills that our community wants, the vision and expertise that our students deserve and the relationship building that supports our work to make D303 a great educational system. What is your assessment of how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled locally? In D303, we are already operating with the lowest tax rate in the Fox Valley. We must have instructional practices that are culturally responsive. I also learned what I knew about families was true - they care deeply about their childrens learning and well being. There is positive compounding effect and we owe our students bold ambition every single day. Updated July 11, 2023 5:03 PM. The key to turning these productive recognizing that board members most often bring positive intentions. Building the best learning environment for all students is a principle Ive lived by since becoming an educator. March 13, 2023 at 8:00 pm CDT. We now have a more direct communication link with all critical agencies such as the Center for Disease Control, the Illinois Department of Health, the Kane County Health Departmentjust to name a few. The administration and Board are working together to create and implement a vision that provides success for all students. I feel that as a Board we did the best we could during an unpredictable historical world-wide event. There remain some significant areas of learning and relationship building that D303 must address. Again; documented trends over the past few years would lead me to believe that we would not need to raise taxes in D303. With a national and local teacher shortage, the focus becomes: are our teachers receiving adequate AND competitive salaries? He served as board president from 2009-11. Our financial stability made it possible to add and move teachers into classrooms, allowing us to stay within the health and safety guidelines. Will you accept the voters decision in your race on Election Day? WATCH: District 303 school board 2-year term candidate interview Lastly, and likely most importantly- our nurses and health teachers continue to communicate proactive steps for children to remain as healthy as possible. The recently completed equity audit identified significant achievement gaps for some of our student groups and highlighted that there are inconsistencies as well as disparities between school buildings. This work is beginning. We owe D303 students -- and ourselves as a community -- the benefits of great schools. It is a position that represents a HUGE portion of citizens that cannot vote but NEED representation, the students. What is your assessment of how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is handled in your school district? Non-partisan What is your current age? According to Scott Harvey, D303s chief communications officer, the district notified the state it was opting out from adopting the National Sex Education Standards. Maintenance Mechanic - Night Shift. Bell Graham Elementary School in St. Charles. The future of D303 students will depend on Board members who are open and willing to listen, dialogue, and understand the facts and research about instruction, learning, behavior, and what success is for all students. It was an extremely difficult time. And, we are not just focused on teachers contracts. Academics' views change over time, Illinois continuously changes the school code, and our community's perspectives evolve. We have had the lowest tax rate and lowest debt rate in Kane County. Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Backer said parents in the district do have access to information regarding curriculum, content and coverage, along with resources to better understand the goals of instruction. Parental rights candidates are shaking up NJ school boards - Bergen Record District 303 board member Michael Bryant resigned Monday, halfway through his four-year term. He has two children in the school district. Non-partisan, Occupation and Employer: Retired educator - working part-time as leadership coach through the DuPage Regional Office of Education, What offices, if any, have you previously held? Top left to right Barbara Diepenbrock, Lauren Duddles, Matthew Kuschert, Joseph Lackner, bottom left to right, Becky McCabe, Elias Palacios and Dolores Van Hiel are candidates for the 4-year term. Their initial findings are that there are achievement gaps across Hispanic and Black/Afro American as well as socioeconomic status. District 303 Board Picks Lackner To Fill Vacant Seat - Patch Please explain. Four candidates are running in the special election to replace Nathan Fletcher in District 4 on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and fill the rest of his term into January 2027. However, we are faced with significant facility issues that could require an increase in revenue. On the other hand, they can communicate clearly and respectfully around the issues and share openly their perspectives and concerns. Aurora area school board races take shape - Chicago Tribune We are at a critical moment in education. News. July 11, 2023 Election 2022 Election Election Joseph Lackner, St. Charles School District 303 BOE election questionnaire By Shaw Local News Network March 13, 2023 at 8:00 pm CDT Expand St. Charles School District 303 Board of Education election candidate Joseph Lackner (Photo provided by Joseph Lackner ) Full Name: Joseph "Joe" Lackner It will take years to understand the full impact of the pandemic on student learning and well-being. Throughout my term on the Board, I have met with many parents and community members who do not necessarily agree with me or Board decisions. It is important to have a group of local citizens focused on what local students need. A press release by the Chatham County Board of Elections reads in part, "One member of the public would not yield to the Chairman after being ruled out of order during her comment period. Candidates running for the St. Charles Public Library Board and St. Charles School District 303 Board tackled the issue of book banning March 5 at a candidates forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County at the St. Charles Public Library. The seven candidates running for three four-year terms are incumbents Becky McCabe, Joseph Lackner and Matthew Kuschert along with challengers Dolores Van Hiel, Lauren Duddles, Elias Palacios and Barbara Diepenbrok. State Election Board Launches Online Voter Registration - Oklahoma.gov The North Star Olympics Returns to North After Five . Hotel Beaucour features a 24 hour front desk, a concierge, and room service. Candidates appearing on the April 4 ballot were able to circulate petitions last fall and filed with the Kane County Clerk in December. I believe we met our obligations to protect our students, staff and the district. I am an advocate for local control but I am NOT an advocate for breaking laws. My style is an approach that is founded in trust. Candidates for the 2023 Consolidated Election - Kane County, Illinois School Board member - St. Charles CUSD #303 What is your political party? St Charles Community Unified School District 303 spends $16,189 per student each year. The contract includes high expectations and compensation that reflects the seriousness of those goals and to the work that must be accomplished. We have a clear path for receiving information as well as places for question clarifications. Palacios has lived in the area for 17 years. Superintendent contracts are committed for three years Generally speaking; the contract includes the base salary, retirement contribution paid for along with full health benefits coverage. Q: How do you view your role in confronting policy or curriculum controversies: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents -- even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities? In this light, the board must serve as a sober deliberative body that holds students' best interests as its guide even as "the best interest" is heatedly debate. With those resources and practices in place we will be able to ensure that all students have a high-quality educational experience and develop to their full academic/social potential. However, there are areas where we must be sure that our staff are well prepared to create positive relationships with all students. I think what we currently have in place is good with an option to opt out, but we should be making material available to our families to use in their home at their discretion. On Oct. 12, Carolyn Waibel resigned from the D303 School Board. The School Board must work to match resources to the effective successful school programs. may be easier to address in the future given what we've learned. I will not revolt against laws regardless of who is possibly pressuring me to do so. They were mindful of the experience of the teachers; providing supports at school and at home to help them deliver the best possible instruction. As a community unit school district, we serve a multitude of age levels, from the real little ones all the way up to soon-to-be adults, he said. This work must include all stakeholders, support the D303 Strategic Plan and the Boards requirement to close achievement gaps. Would you propose any changes to the curriculum? Newsletter, Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. Just as we encourage and push our schools to have hand washing be the norm. D303 teachers, staff and Boards have settled all their contracts in a timely manner within the funding that we can sustain over time. St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 Other districts have developed deeper offerings in technology-related courses of study that range from coding courses to programs that see high schoolers graduate with Microsoft certifications, to technology support training. I do not see any reason to change our current health curriculum. Love life. Q: Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board? Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. 0:49. One additional point- coming out of the pandemic -- The crisis was traumatic for many; including teachers, support staff, administrators and certainly our children. A governmental agency that is open and transparent is critically important; especially when that agency is a school district! If so, what programs or services in the district would you cut? This step will not only go a long way to to ensuring more effective use of our resources to meet needs in ALL areas; but it will also help us better align our initiatives. While visiting Strasbourg, you may want to try some oyster at one of the nearby restaurants, such as L . I firmly believe that it is important to remember that even a process is innocent until proven guilty. If another massive outbreak of infectious disease occurs, what have we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that will guide your decision making? There was enormous fear in the world during this period - and that occurred in our community as well. The state of Illinois gives local districts that option and we, as a Board, decided, along with the vast majority of school boards, to opt out. First and foremost, D303 now has a clear and thorough mitigation guide in place. David Skolnick. Kuschert said that he thinks it is paramount that D303 continues to use sound reasoning to determine the age appropriate nature of all materials, including in the classrooms and libraries. Obviously, I plan to participate in those professional development sessions as soon as they are set. She . When areas of concern and need are identified; it is imperative that the School Board examine ways to support meaningful, effective interventions to respond to the challenges. Each scenario was complex and challenging. Looking at the number of applicants we attract and the low number of teachers leaving D303, I would say that we have been successful in retaining and hiring high quality staff. 70 The national group has led culture-war . 215).. 20 June 2023. School Board Meeting Information School Board Culture Statement Meet your D303 School Board Candidates - Stargazer On April 6, community members will vote on certain town officials, some of them being school board members. I have the knowledge, and experience to be of value to our school district. I would like to see our vision of what academic "success" is to be more outside of the proverbial box. Over the past 27 years, I have been immersed in the progression of our schools. The Board must support that work if we want to move our district from good to great. Have you sought and/or received any training to run for your local school board? I have a diverse community of people in D303 that I deeply care for. School Board member - St. Charles CUSD #303, What is your political party? See the list. Even with that fact, there are times when it is possible to lower the tax rate and still pay for all programming without cutting. And after hearing him speak; and describe the alignment of the districts strategic plan with all other initiatives, I see him as a visionary for a renaissance in the schools in our D303 community! So not only are those kids being educated with a solid curriculum, but they can also feel safe in their space and can trust those who we trust them with in the course of their school day, to uphold and keep them safe during those school hours, whether thats in the classroom or on that bus ride home.. I fully understand the protocols for membership and the procedural aspects and responsibilities of the meetings. Becky McCabe, St. Charles School District 303 School Board election I think that our world is changing quickly and there is a lot more our kids now know due to the internet and social media. The board must work within legal and regulatory constraints, while communicating in an open transparent way about our shared goal of a positive education for students and a safe working environment for teachers and staff. Facility needs, COVID-19 among issues discussed by St. Charles school board candidates. It is this process that allows a group to determine good policy with a measured voice. Making decisions about D303's nearly $200M annual budget ($800M over a four-year term) is an incredible responsibility. And, we should look at further professional development and support for our current teaching and staff to meet needs of students in differentiated circumstances.. However, D303 is not waiting. Those two huge factors were crystal clear during the pandemic - and should be recognized as the foundation of our work as a district and community. The traditional educational processes or answers may or may not be appropriate to finding solutions for student success. Diepenbrok says overcrowded schools are a problem and that there are both short-term solutions to make things comfortable and more-difficult longer term solutions, hinting that a referendum to build could be in the future. As a potential School Board member, I am committed to continually listen to and being responsive to the needs of this group of students at all levels. Lentz agreed about the need for local control when it comes to what students are taught. Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job? Some material is a window into another persons life and some material is a mirror that reflects how your own life is led. Would you propose any changes to the curriculum? A: D303 is a good school district. As a Board, we were provided with information to make decisions yet some solutions to issues were not possible due to legal and health restraints. Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? I believe I can continue to bring value to the discussions and dialogue. Are teachers in your district paid adequately now and in retirement? Our LGBTQ students report that they have experienced students bullying them and that many teachers do not know how to address microaggressions. We then allow those vetted by us, by proxy or directly, to do what they have the degrees and expertise to do. Our families have been satisfied with what we provide students in health classes and they have the opportunity to opt out if they so choose. I have been in education for over 35 years and have experience that brings organizational leadership to the Board table. 4 158 views 2 years ago Listen to the D303 School Board Candidates answer questions about Return to School plans and communication. I would like to see some things that were learned implemented and other things, such as masks, encouraged as a new social norm. Being an effective board member requires four things: a commitment to student outcomes, a respect for teachers' contributions, an understanding of school finance, and willingness to make hard trade-offs. I do not see any reason to change our current health curriculum.. (105 ILCS 5/10-16.7). The public health policies that COVID inspired created ever-changing operational challenges for schools that were nearly impossible to manage. I know that not everyone agrees with our decisions. What is the most important issue in D303 for you? Our administration was informed of changes daily and expected to implement policy and structural changes instantly. A: There have always been passionate conversations about the school's role in society. bdiepenbrock4d303@gmail.com 2023 by Barbara Diepenbrock for D303 School Board. As a community member and taxpayer, I also understand clearly the need to remain fiscally responsible to the public we represent. Having been on the Board through the pandemic and also from working with principals in my coaching role, I saw what I already knew about educators - they work incredibly hard to meet the needs of their students and to keep them safe. Future Boards will need to address new financial issues and live within its means even as it also expects to improve student achievement. The parents need to be involved in what curriculum is being taught. Those decisions would require discussions that should be transparent to the community. This means providing the highest level of student success while also living within our means. I was on the Board when we did the search for a new superintendent and voted along with all other Board members to hire Dr. Gordon. The district was compassionate in their communications and attempted to provide as much support as possible under the circumstances. Bell Graham Elementary School in St. Charles. It reminds all of us that there are so many amazing things people of all abilities have to offer the world. A: I would like to see D303 embrace and celebrate International Day of Acceptance on Jan 20. As a school board member, I would take part in active, open and fair evaluation of the superintendents work and weigh that with the next three year compensation cycle to be determined. It was the intention of the School Board to be transparent and to hear all stakeholders. If someone disagrees, they are not disagreeing with ME but rather one of my thoughts. By Shaw Local News Network. Some of the technical management issues (technology, adapting curriculum, etc.) DOES it sound like they want change or are willing to send. Meet the 2023 School Board Candidates Running for District D303 What is your position on open, transparent government? Yes; I believe so. No one wants taxes to be raised. Ron DeSantis's 2024 team posted manufactured depictions of Mr. Trump during his time as president hugging Anthony S. Fauci. We're swayed by the direct experience of the incumbents, which will help them move District 303 forward after the disruptions of the pandemic. The D303 community asks the St. Charles D303 School Board Members, Mrs. Barker, Mrs. Fairgrieve, Mr. Lackner, Mr. McNally, Mrs. Bell and Mrs. McCabe, to publicly censure and remove Board Member Ms. Carolyn Waibel from the D303 School Board. Our school district has supported the LGBTQ+ community in numerous ways. Scott Nowling was elected to the District 303 school board in 2007 and served until the end of 2011. The candidate filing period for the 2023 municipal and school board races opened at noon Friday and ends at noon July . In addition, as a valued Hotel Beaucour guest, you can enjoy a hot tub and a lounge that are available on-site. In spite of this complexity and my abbreviated term, I've helped drive real, positive change: we've gotten the students safely back in school, we've hired a new superintendent, we're redefining the D303 strategic plan and revamping the administration's ways of working. He is an active listener; genuinely concerned about and interested in the perspective of others. When we achieve across 12 grades, we're helping nearly 2,000 more students succeed. The parties will unveil separate and competing proposals that will have little chance . We must be ready to pivot our thinking as we find the root causes of problems and use the best solutions to meet student needs. D303 teacher salary is comparable to all Kane County school districts. Backer, a former district 303 principal, emphasizes other factors to address overcrowding, including looking at policies for transferring for the voluntary and cap-and-send programs as ways to make classrooms more equitable. This approach will be ongoing as we unpack the impact of the pandemic. Board members must not fear conflict. I have the knowledge, expertise, experience, and judgment to be of value to our school district. What concerns do you have about the district or what would you like to see improved in the district? St. Charles School District 303 Board of Education candidate Becky McCabe (Photo provided by Becky McCabe), What office are you seeking? We owe families graduates who can build successful, fulfilling lives. To me, this is a top priority. We need to build curriculum that starts with the high school end in mind and works down to kindergarten to link the successes, knowledge, skills, and habits that will allow our students to have the most options when they plan their post high school paths. That is why I wish to serve. Majority of St. Charles School Board candidates agree with district's I have read and participated in the Illinois School Board Associations workshops for Board members and candidates. The students stated that staff members were working hard to create welcoming and supporting environments in the classroom, hallways and all settings.