Question 6

Ross Sawyers -

<Website Admin Note: candidate did not respond to this question>

Naema Abraham -

For me, having the right balance of life, work experience, and education has enabled me to serve successfully on this school board.

Irena Petryk -

An effective board member is one with a clear vision and plan for the future, one that proactively identifies and addresses existing issues in each school. They should listen to the various stakeholders in the district and communicate their actions to the community. Decisions should be carefully considered, with special attention given to equity considerations and a fiscally sound budget. The board should work as a team to uplift every student and advocate for education on a local and state level while following the main principles of effective governance from the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB).

Joseph Nowik -

Effective school board members are ones that engage with the community and the students regularly. Active listening is crucial.

They need to understand their role and not get into the weeds. It’s hard to “stay on the balcony”, but it is essential.

Effective members work productively with the other board members and the Superintendent. Accepting when their position is in the minority and working to make board decisions succeed.

Richard Evonitz -

An effective School Board Member: (a) understands his/her role of governing and not administering the District’s business; (b) works together with other elected colleagues to effectively address matters before the Board; and (c) constructively makes his/her point of view known during Board discussions.

Kathleen Weiss Boyle -

An effective school board member is capable of working with a team toward the common good. An effective school board member does the reading, does the math, does the training, acknowledging what is working and not working within the district – mindfully differentiating what works for some but not necessarily all. An effective school board member leans in, to effectively address problems and closing gaps with equitable solutions. By close adherence to the principles of effective governance established by the Illinois Association of School Boards, the purpose of District 219 should be made clear. Through collaborative engagement with stakeholders within the schools, the superintendent’s office, and the greater community, to be most effective, our school board should be one that fosters mutual respect and a safe and inclusive culture and values differing perspectives.

Elana Jacobs -

An effective school board member follows the main principles of governance from the Illinois Association of School Boards ( IASB) by clarifying the purpose of District 219, connects with the community, employs the superintendent, empowers the superintendent and staff to make decisions, monitors progress using data, and takes full responsibility for itself by creating a positive and inviting board culture. Personally, I know the importance of community engagement which will lead to very effective progress monitoring that includes qualitative and quantitative data collection that is transparent, in many different languages and implements ADA best practices. I am a classroom teacher whose bias is towards the teachers and students, and I know the importance of leaning on the 6 other board members who add different perspectives, such as parent/guardian perspective, student alumni, community organization, and village trustees. Community engagement would also mean responding to email requests, public comments, and having conversations with all the stakeholders. At the end of the day, I want the best for my neighbors who attend Niles Central, Niles West, Niles North, Bridges program and more to be positively impacted by all the resources that the Niles Township education community has to offer.