Diana Chrissis: Candidate Profile

Back to Arlington Heights District 25 School Board 4-year terms

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:BioQA Bio City: Arlington HeightsWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Arlington Heights District 25 School Board 4-year terms Age: 53Family: Husband, 2 children, 2 catsOccupation: Vice President Client ManagementEducation: BA in Business with a Minor in English MBA, with honors, Masters Business AdministrationCivic involvement: 2 terms with the Arlington Heights SD 25 Board, serving as Vice President, Secretary and IL Assoc of School Boards Representative Metropolis Citizens Advisory Committee Womens' charities supporterElected offices held: SD 25 Board, serving as Vice President, Secretary and IL Assoc of School Boards RepresentativeQuestions Answers How satisfied are you that your school district is adequately 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?Very satisfied. No specific changes - just continue with balancing rising costs with a controlled revenue stream and delivering the educational experience and services that our student population needs.What budgetary issues will your district have to confront during the next four years and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, be specific about programs and expenses that should be considered for reduction or elimination. On the income side, do you support any tax increases for local schools? Again, be specific.Continue with balancing rising costs with a controlled revenue stream and delivering the educational experience and services that our student population needs. If the district has been fiscally responsible, then yes, I support tax increases for local schools to support the UNFUNDED mandates from the federal and state governments, without sacrificing the educational experience across the student bodyAre you currently employed by or retired from a school district, if so, which one? Is any member of your direct family - spouse, child or child-in-law - employed by the school district where you are seeking a school board seat?noAs contract talks come up with various school employee groups -- teachers, support staff, etc. -- what posture should the school board take? 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?I support keeping expenses in line with revenues, which are capped at CPIIf 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 do not support increasing an administrator's compensation to increase pension benefitsWhat other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?It is important for the public to understand that school district finance has an inherent imbalance in that we are required, by law, to provide services in specific ways, however the federal and state governments that pass these laws do NOT provide funding to support what a district needs to do to comply. 70-80% of our income comes from community households' property taxes. The SD25 commercial tax base is limited. I am grateful for the citizens that bore the tax burden that supported my children's schooling and the taxes we are paying today secure the sound, excellent educational future for the next generation of students. For better or worse, it's a "pay it forward" scenario.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Candidate did not respond.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Candidate did not respond.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Candidate did not respond.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Candidate did not respond.