Blythe Cammy: 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: RoselleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Roselle District 12 School Board (4-year Terms)Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Married to Neal with two daughters in Dist. 12 schools.Occupation: Stay at Home Mom for the last 12 years.Education: Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies, Wichita State University, 1982 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Wichita State University, 1984Civic involvement: Current Dist. 12 PTO Vice President Active PTO member since 2004 Dist. 12 Band Booster Member and Treasurer AIMS Mentor at Spring Hills school for 3 years Girl Scout Leader since 2006Elected offices held: None yet!Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NOCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I am not entering this election with a specific agenda in mind. I simply wish to continue serving the Dist. 12 community in a different capacity for the next four years.Key Issue 2 Our children's future will include competition from around the world, so a strong foundation in math and science is extremely important. Our students are receiving this now, and it could be reinforced with, for example, a district wide Science Fair. After school Science and Math Clubs would be a great addition to our current activity offerings.Key Issue 3 Offering a foreign language in Dist. 12 would be another great advantage to our students and community. Offering it in early grade levels could allow our students more flexibility in their later academic careers for even more rigorous coursework. I realize there is always a financial question when adding value to the curriculum, and would be interested in exploring those options.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?The most exciting aspect of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is the equal opportunity for a great education, no matter where a student lives. The increased academic rigor that will result from Illinois adoption of the CCSS is a benefit to our kids. The clear and consistently high learning expectations of this initiative will keep Dist. 12 students on track for success in high school and beyond. BOE meetings are a place for community members to share ideas on curriculum. Our professional educators are best suited to make final decisions.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?m very pleased with the education currently offered to Dist. 12 students. The addition of foreign language instruction would give our kids a competitive edge in high school and beyond. A greater emphasis on math and science will make their futures even brighter.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 district has been very fortunate in the financial wisdom shown by BOE members. We are in a strong position for future challenges, and that must be carefully protected. I am open to the discussion of increasing income from all sources. Program reductions must be considered on a case-by-case basis, and as a last resort.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?Our Dist. 12 employees deserve well-informed, and thoughtful contract negotiations. These should be fair to both sides and in keeping with surrounding districts. There must be a balance between attracting the most talented educators for our kids, while protecting the budget meant to benefit our kids.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 believe all of our employees should be fairly compensated throughout their careers in Dist. 12, not just with pensions in mind.