Mary Rivera: 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: Wood DaleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Fenton High School District 100 School Board (4-year Terms)Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Executive Assistant.Education: Fenton Community High School North Central CollegeCivic involvement: Vice-President of the Bensenville Community Foundation. Member of the Bensenville Rotary Club.Elected offices held: District 100 School Board Member, elected in 2009.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Fiscal responsibility within our district accountability to the taxpayer base.Key Issue 2 Academic Excellence.Key Issue 3 Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers What do you think about the shift to the common core standards? How big a role do you think the board of education should play in setting the curriculum for students and what ideas do you have for changes to the current curriculum?I believe the Common Core Standards are necessary and long overdue. As a current board member, our role has been to observe and approve the curriculum recommendations brought forth by the Curriculum Committee and the director. I feel comfortable in that role to have our knowledgeable staff continue to determine the best curriculum decisions for our district. However, with the implementation of the Common Core Standards the required curriculum for this program will be less of a decision for the Board of Education. I would like our current curriculum to continue to incorporate the use of technology driven tools such as IPads, Smart-boards, computer software textbooks, etc. in all of our curriculum courses.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 proud of the advancements made by the district in regards to college readiness. District 100 continues to enhance our college based courses, offering more AP and duel credit courses. We have school sponsored college visit days, which is giving our juniors and seniors several opportunities to visit surrounding colleges. Another program that I am extremely proud of is the Fenton Internship Program. The program involves area businesses that encourage growth and development for high school students in choosing career paths. My son, who graduated from Fenton in 2009, had a wonderful experience with the Fenton Internship Program. He was undecided in his career path but the experience and the hands-on atmosphere he received from Gottlieb Hospital helped him to decide his major in the medical field.What budget issues will your district have to confront and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, what programs and expenses should be reduced or eliminated? On the income side, do you support any tax increases?Our budget issues are somewhat typical. We have rising teacher salary schedules and possible upcoming pension reforms. Currently all school districts are anxiously awaiting the current pension reforms we will be facing this year. The outcome of these reforms will have dire financial consequences on all school districts within the state. During the 2010-2011 budget process, we made reductions of 10% in all departments; weighing heavier on operational and administrative expenses and less on student resources. In our 2012-2013 budget we have a zero based budget, with requests to accommodate funding brought forth with justification of need. We continue to fund various projects through competitive bids, grant funding, and rebates. I do not support any tax increases.As contract talks come up with various school employee groups, do you believe the district should ask for concessions from its employees, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?I absolutely support contract concessions. The realities of our current economy warrant the review of all salaries, contributions, and benefits. The costs of operations are skyrocketing at an alarming rate. Once again, I am compelled to mention the lingering pension reforms which would significantly increase the financial burden on the district. I do not support any pay or benefit increases at this time.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 any substantial salary increases for upcoming retirees. I believe the staff within our district is paid fairly with higher than average compensation. To approve increased salaries to enhance pension benefits would be wrong.