Joseph Stevens: 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: AlgonquinWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Community Unit D300Age: 65Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Consultant for my own company, Nine Rivers EnterprisesEducation: MBA Lake Forest Graduate School of ManagementCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Candidate did not respond.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The number one issue for me is to keep the district on firm financial footing, without even thinking about a tax increase. Of course the current fiscal crisis affecting the State of Illinois makes this goal very difficult, but I believe still achievable. This is especially true if the Sears EDA (Commonly referred to as the Sears TIF) expires as planned. This would positively impact the district by upwards of $13 million dollars. I have been working with local State legislators and the government of Hoffman Estates, where the EDA is located to assure it is not renewed. Key Issue 2 To work to support the new Superintendent, Mr. Michael Bregy, as he works to revamp and re-work the district from top to bottom. Key Issue 3 Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers What prompted you to run for the D300 board? If you're a newcomer, how will you make a difference? If you're an incumbent, how have you made a difference?As an incumbent, I would first say that I am past the necessary learning curve to understand school finance and district operations. That is a very long and difficult process. I worked to begin the process of improving labor relations, which I feel is much better, and also worked to assure fiscal responsibility. I voted with the majority to outsource transportation, improve fund balances, improve bond ratings and rebalance the boundary lines. In addition, as the board President, I worked closely with all board members to have us work harmoniously, yet with diversity of opinion encouraged, and led the effort for significant budget reductions for the current school year. One of the most significant and long lasting impacts I have participated in is in the selection of Michael Bregy as our new superintendent. Mr. Bregy was promoted from within and is very focused on teaching and learning and is a wonderful team builder. The impact he has already brought to our district in a few short months will be felt for years to come. He is prepared to review and revamp our district from top to bottom, and to make it not only more efficient, but to improve the quality of the education delivered. I am very proud to have played a part in his selection. With significant budget cuts already made and more on the horizon, how do you propose the district maintain teaching standards? Please be specific.I would refer to a change that both Mrs. Clark and I proposed last year and were successful in achieving. We proposed to have the administration either improve the gifted learning program or scrap it. This caused quite an uproar but in the end, the cost of the program was cut in half and the quality measurably improved. Prior to the exchange, gifted students were pulled from the classroom for several hours a week and given "gifted" education. The change made instead trained all teachers on how to teach to the gifted child every day and it has the spillover effect of improving the other students education too. Mr. Bregy's focus is on teaching and learning. With that, announced in a recent press release, there will be significant changes to our curriculum and instruction area within the central administration. I have worked closely with Mr. Bregy to support these changes. I am strongly supportive of the group of employees known as the "Divisionals" who are subject matter experts who work with the teaching staff to assure best practices are carried out in the classroom. As a board we have encouraged more direct oversight by the new superintendent for all school administrators to assure continuity of learning and practice which is clearly needed. If various unions fail to meet a list of concessions to save the district about $5.2 million, administrators warn cuts would hurt students. What is your approach to contract talks?I am seeking as a district to have a better method of communicating to the entire staff. As things currently are communicated, not all staff fully understand the seriousness of our financial situation, which I believe had an impact on the teachers union turning down concessions last school years when all other unions and administrators making significant concessions. My goal is to work closely with the teachers union and open up our books so to speak, to allow them to bring in their own accountants to validate the fiscal crisis that the administration has laid out. This is another reason a good working relationship with labor is essential. Should the district continue to provide programs that receive funding from the state, but are not mandatory? If so, which ones?This is a difficult question to answer. There are programs currently like early childhood education that is mostly housed at the DeLacey School that are mostly funded by a state grant, yet we haven't been paid the grant. Next year this program will be a competitive grand. These issues present real problems. In addition, the governor is recommending significant reductions to our categorical funding, which include school bussing. It is something then the state legislator would not have to be on record as voting to cut, as the governor is authorized to make this cut independently, yet it is clear the district cannot cut bussing. We just have to rob from something else to fund it even though it is severely underfunded already. If a program is not mandated, but funded by the state, I would recommend we have the money in hand, or some reliable assurance that it would in fact be funded, before we proceed. If programs are indeed funded by the state, with dollars that actually flow to the district, I would continue to programs as it is unlikely the funding could be used for other district needs. There are usually many restrictions on how state money is spent. What changes can the new superintendent make to ensure the best educational opportunities for students in District 300?Our new superintendent Mr. Bregy is already working toward this goal by revamping the entire curriculum and instruction department within the administration. He is also working more directly than the past administration with all individual school administrators to make the teaching and learning across the district more consistent from school to school. He is also working closely with all of the administration and the teachers union to have more meaningful evaluations of staff.