Louis Gatta: 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: Vernon HillsWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Hawthorn District 73 School Board (4-year Terms)Age: 42Family: Married, two childrenOccupation: General Manager, Niles Central High School. Studio MusicianEducation: University of Iowa 1988-1992 B.A. Northeastern Illinois University 2003Civic involvement: Park District CoachElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Rigorous curriculumKey Issue 2 Quality teachingKey Issue 3 Balanced budgetQuestions 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?It is the responsibility of the board to approve the curriculum. It is the job of administrators and teachers to implement it. The common core will provide the board with the necessary information to evaluate the curriculum and teaching.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?At this point I am satisfied with the education that my son is receiving. As a board member I will ensure that our curriculum will result in students that are high school ready and on the path to college readiness.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?The board's responsibility is to hold administrators accountable for efficient and effective use of resources, including buildings. In this economy we cannot add new costs without evaluating the effectiveness of other programs and eliminating those that no longer meet our goals. As a good board member, it is important to be open- minded and listen to all constituents to have appropriate knowledge for informed decision making.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?The district seems to be doing a good job at attracting quality teachers. We must analyze the market to ensure it continues to be competitive. Pay and benefits are just a piece of the pie. All economic issues must be considered in the board's goal to have a balanced budget.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?End of career bumps for the sole purpose of inflating an individual's pension is inappropriate.