Ann Dingman: 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: GrayslakeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Grayslake H.S. D127Age: 49Family: Married, three childrenOccupation: Administrative Support for GFX InternationalEducation: Bachelor of Science in Retail Management, Eastern Illinois University, 1983Civic involvement: Grayslake Community High School District Board of Education, Special Education District of Lake County - Executive Board,Friends of Woodland - PresidentElected offices held: Grayslake Community High School Board of Education, 2004-2011 (Current President of Board of Education. Previous Vice President and Secretary. Negotiation Team Member. Code of Conduct Committee. Chairperson Personnel, Policy and Program Committee. Previous member of Facilities and Finance Committee.)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No, I have not.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Improving student achievement while maintaining a balanced school budget during an incredibly challenging economic period.Key Issue 2 Negotiating a contract with our union that is both fiscally responsible to the taxpayers of District 127 and fair to the District 127 staff.Key Issue 3 Increasing communication with the District 127 community, including those who do not have students in the high schools, through a variety of methods.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?I am very satisfied that D127 students are well prepared for the next stage of their lives, whether it is college, the trades, the military or the workforce. I will continue to work with the other members of the Board of Education, in conjunction with the administration and staff of D127, to constantly assess the relevancy of our curriculum and make changes as deeemed appropriate.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?The financial issues at D127 revolve around the financial instability of the state of Illinois. There is a great deal of uncertainty around general state aid payments which makes paying our bills and budgeting difficult. I will continue to work to hold the line on spending and make cuts that have minimal impact on student learning if necessary.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.I think having someone on your board that has educational experience is an asset not a detriment. I don't have specific teaching experience but I have run two school referenda campaigns, participated in strategic planning and served on numerous committees including the configuration and boundary committees during the time period prior to Grayslake North being built.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?Since I'm currently on the negotiations team for D127 and we're in the process of negotiations, I feel that it would be inappropriate for me to answer this question.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?Questions about personnel are difficult since there are often times numerous variables to consider. If elected, I will continue to evaluate each situation individually and on it's own merit when making personnel decisions.