Kim Kearby: 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: Round LakeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Round Lake Unit District 116 School Board (2-year Term)Age: 66Family: Married, four children, two grandchildrenOccupation: Retired Teacher with over 35 years experience in Round Lake SchoolsEducation: Bachelor of Arts, Chicago Teachers' College Master of Arts, National Louis UniversityCivic involvement: Active in Youth Organizations, Political and Social Justice Organizer Youth Baseball and Soccer CoachElected offices held: Past School Board Member Avon School District President of Shorewood Subdivision 1975-1981 Held various elected positions within Education Association of Round Lake (EARL) during over 35 years as a Round Lake teacher Board of Directors on the State level for IEA National Deligate to NEA for 24 yearsHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Voice for the CommunityKey Issue 2 Student SuccessKey Issue 3 Fiscal ResponsibilityQuestions Answers Do you believe the district needs to pursue a Round Lake High School expansion and other improvements? If so, how should this be financed? Please explain.At this point, we need to look at any and all possible contingencies. We cannot limit a plan to referendum. Jumping to a decision on referendum may be the easiest answer, but certainly not palatable in this current economic environment. Passing a referendum is a long and involved process that at the onset solicits information from the public, determines their goals and seeks their suggestions for the future of the district. This should be where we start and how we proceed. We need to show the public that their voices are heard and that we have exhausted all options and garnered evidence of the successes or failures of these options.How satisfied are you that your district is adequately preparing students for the next stage in their lives, whether it be high school, college or full-time employment? What changes, if any, do you think need to be made?There is always room for improvement. We need to be vigilant in our review of new research and ideas. We need to make sure that the solutions are researched and supported by all school stakeholders. As an insider, I have seen the latest and greatest ideas rise and fall from lack of input, clear knowledge of the resources available, limiting training and finally accountability to full implementation. I equate it to the latest great diet. You are all-in for a week and then commitment diminishes. Seek sound, proven and data driven results that fit our community and our students. Make sure all stakeholders are in on the process and make sure that a long-term commitment is in place. This means efforts to educate community members, involve teachers and supports staff and utilize resources available to us through the State Board of Education and the Regional Office of Education.What budgetary issues will your district have to confront during the next four years and what measure do you support to address them? Be specific. On the income side, do you support any tax increases for local schools? Be specific.I support a progressive income tax on the State level. This will help stabilize school funding. School funding is not just a local issue. School Board members need to be politically active to review the funding sources and any changes that may be discussed legislatively so that Round Lake is not left in the dark to fend for itself. Not being diligent and politically active essentially eliminates our options. In addition we need to constantly ask ourselves in this ever-changing environment, have we exhausted all State, Federal and private funding revenues? Are there grants that we need to pursue or partnerships we can build to get the resources we need to have our students compete and succeed? Have we discussed our budgetary concerns with local and township agencies to assure that they are aware of the budget issues and explored areas of partnership for a better community? Being fiscally responsible is looking at all areas of the budget. This would mean prioritizing our budget to focus on those issues that directly effect student success. Any budget items that cannot show a direct result to those areas we have prioritized will be reallocated. If we have agreed to a cut, is that cut felt by all.Do you support the health center proposed for Round Lake High School? Why or why not? Please elaborate.Yes, I support the Health Center. There is strong evidence these services benefit students and families. The district has done a good job seeking parent concerns during the open forum presentations. Now, we need to make sure we have addressed their concerns. As we move forward, have we assured parents of our commitment to communicating and involving families in the center? Finally, how are we reporting to the school board and the community so they can have evidence that their concerns were taken seriously?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?Quite frankly, it does not matter what I think of Common Core Standards. It is the mandate and the schools must comply. These are the standards our students will be tested on and I want to give our students every advantage to prove their knowledge. One of the major responsibilities of a school board is the curriculum. So it goes without saying, the school board should be involved. It does not end with the school board. Our community needs to know when there are changes that the schools need to follow and be able to have an understanding of those changes. How can we expect community support and build a partnership with our parents if we do not make sure they understand the rules we have to abide by.