Nancy Schell: 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: Lake VillaWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lake Villa District 41 School Board (4-year Terms)Age: 45Family: Maried, 2 children in District 41Occupation: PhysicianEducation: M.D.-cum lauda (Medical Doctor-with honors) 1992 Residency at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL and graduated as Chief ResidentCivic involvement: former Girl Scout co-leaderElected offices held: School Board member District 41 for 4 yearsHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I think the number 1 issue, whether campaigning or not, is to always remember that the purpose of the district is to educate our children. We need to ensure that our children are equipped to, not just compete, but thrive in a global landscape. All of our decisions have to ultimately come back to this purpose.Key Issue 2 Safety and well-being of children. Physical safety as well as provision of a safe and nurturing environment are essential. Besides competence in various subjects,schools need to encourage development of mutual respect, empathy, etc.Key Issue 3 Fiscal responsibility. There are very serious financial challenges facing school districts. Decisions must be thoroughly researched and all aspects carefully weighed.Questions Answers District 41 faces a large deficit and tough financial choices. Name one step you would push on the board to address the situation. Please explain your idea.Any board needs to be mindful of perspective. This is especially important during difficult times. Elected officials must differentiate between their own personal interests and the needs of the people they represent. Members need to work together to problem solve, not advance their own agendas and create divisive obstacles.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?Our district has been very active in creating a successful learning environment. Such an environment is dynamic and responsive. It requires constant monitoring and development. In this way the needs of students are best met and addressed. Increasing achievement scores underscore the importance of this process.How would you define the ideal working relationship between a school board and its administrators and teachers? To what degree does your school district represent this relationship now?Each component has it's roles and each component needs to recognize and respect that. I expect everyone to behave and perform professionally. There should be an environment of collaboration where ideas are welcome and heard and everyone has the best interest of children at heart. I believe our district is very much like this.As contract talks come up with various employee groups what position should the school board take? Should the district seek concessions, expect employee costs to stay about the same now or provide increases in pay or benefits?The board's position should be to evaluate completely and decide fairly.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's about time that people recognize children are capable of so much and that every child can learn. The board's role is to ensure the curriculum is appropriate, up-to-date, and allows each child to achieve his/her greatest potential. The administration's role is to research, evaluate, develop, pilot, and implement such curricula.