Ellyn F. Ross: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: Buffalo GroveWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Aptakisic-Tripp Elementary D102Age: 51Family: Married to Peter for 27 years Gary-24 Eric-21 Caryn-18Occupation: Stay at home momEducation: Bachelor of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1981MT(ASCP)-1982Civic involvement: Stevenson High School Community Foundation, Co-President, 2010-presentStevenson High School Community Foundation, 2nd V.P. and sec. 2008-2010Community Volunteer -1988-presentElected offices held: School Board Member 2003-presentHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: noCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Our District has been a leader in leveraging technology to enable our teachers to help develop individualized learning opportunities for our students. We need to continue to advance this initiative to ensure that our students are as well prepared for the next step in their educational development as possible.Key Issue 2 To continue to advance our strategies with respect to recruiting,training, retaining highly qualified teachers.Key Issue 3 Keep our governance structure at all levels and to keep the right people in the positions. We are a high impact board by staying strategically and policy focused, letting our superintendent and staff run the operational side of things.Questions Answers How satisfied are you that your district is preparing students for the next stage in their lives, whether it be from elementary into high school or high school into college or full-time employment? What changes, if any, do you think need to be made?District 102 has continually prepared students for the academic rigor at Stevenson High School. Everyone at all levels of this organization continues to do great work and each year scores improve. In addition, we focus on the social and emotional well-being of our children.What budget issues will the district have to confront? What measures do you support to address them? If cuts are needed, be specific about programs and expenses that should be reduced or eliminated. Do you support any tax increases for local schools?We are a AAA bond rated district and have demonstrated year after year that we connect our spending to the vision of our district, teaching and learning goals and initiatives that matter most. Our financial outlook is strong, but we are very cognizant of a zero-based budget and keeping healthy fund balances.At We are not expecting a tax increase for many years to come.Is experience as a teacher or support from a union valuable because it suggests educational insights or detrimental because it creates pro-teacher bias? Please clarify whether you have such experience or would accept union support.District 102 school board has built a strong relationship with our teachers union built on mutual respect.As contract talks come up with various employee groups, what posture should the board take? Do you believe the district should ask for concessions, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?Our negotiations have always been at a very high level of integrity and mutual respect. Our last contract negotiations could not have gone better on either side. We are in the third year of a five year contract, and I want us to continue to work with our association at this very high level because then you get the right outcomes for our children.If your district had a superintendent or other administrator nearing retirement, would you support a substantial increase in his or her pay to help boost pension benefits? Why or why not?I would not support a substantial increase in pay to boost pension benefits. In 2002, our community passed an education fund referendum to pay our staff competitive wages compared to our surrounding districts. Therefore, it is not necessary to boost at the end.