Hans Schuller: 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: Oakbrook TerraceWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Salt Creek District 48 School Board (4-year Terms)Age: 51Family: Married, three childrenOccupation: School PrincipalEducation: Bachelor of Organizational Psychology,DePaul University,1989 Northeastern Illinois University, Masters of Education, 1994 Roosevelt University, Doctorate of Education, 2004Civic 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 To provide fiscal and programmatic accountability to our District 48 communities and at the same time to remind our constituents of the responsibility for maintaining a quality educational program for our children.Key Issue 2 Candidate did not respond.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 am in support of common core standards; as a parent and educator I believe that any curriculum that increasingly requires of students a greater utilization of critical thinking skills is headed in the right direction. However, I am cautiously optimistic in my endorsement. As a prospective school board member, I will have a responsibility to oversee the approval and implantation of the curriculum, it is the superintendent's task to translate common core standards into layman's language so that there are no misunderstandings and the school board is in a position to support. Overall, I believe that the district is in a good position to make the transition; we have a very talented group of dedicated educators and support personnel.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?Overall, I am satisfied with the education that my children received in District 48. The district has made significant strides in working collaboratively with parents and the greater community.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?As a community there are some critical budgetary concerns that we must address in the near future. Having had a cursory overview of the fiscal health and budget of the district, there is a handful of issues that will have to be addressed over the course of the next year. I don't anticipate any quick and easy solutions; rather some tough decisions will have to be made. I would be open to consider a variety of options at this point.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?Contract negotiations are at best a tumultuous undertaking during these times of economic uncertainties and conservative restraint. As the district prepares for these proceedings, the process must be open and honest, so that everyone is aware of the expenditures available. I have full confidence in district administration to achieve this end. I would be open to consider a variety of options and proposals including employee concessions.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 the padding of administrative salaries with tax-payer money.