SHARON LYNCH: Candidate Profile

Back to Des Plaines Elementary District 62 School Board

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: DES PLAINESWebsite: www.movetodesplainesil.comOffice sought: Des Plaines Elementary District 62 School Board Age: 53Family: HusbandOccupation: Real Estate BrokerEducation: Marquette UniversityCivic involvement: Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce Rosemont Chamber of Commerce Rotary Club of Des Plaines Des Plaines Community Senior Center dba Frisbie Senior Center District 62 Board of Education District 62 Foundation Rainbow Hospice Angel's BallElected offices held: Board member Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce - 8 years President Rotary Club of Des Plaines - 2 years President Des Plaines Community Senior Center - 2 terms District 62 Board of Education member 10 yearsQuestions 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?I'm very satisfied with the work that our Superintendent and staff have implemented for our children as they prepare for the next stages in their lives. District 62 has been ahead of the curve for implementing the Common Core Standards as well as other programs. We have completed our Master Plan and have improved our schools and facilities, increased our bandwidth and increased our technology tools - i.e tablets, ipads, smart boards. Our children are thrilled with these improvements and you can see it in their enthusiasm for learning. I believe that our children will be better prepared than most other children in other communities due to these initiatives.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.Our District implemented cost containment measures 10+ years ago and we have not lost focus of our fiscal responsibility to our community. As a Board we actively review financials and make cuts/adjustments as necessary. If the new state initiatives come into place - making an even distribution of funds for each child - it will definitely impact our resources and we are aware that this could happen. I would support a tax increase if it was necessary. Community members need to remember that your homes has a reduced value if the schools are not good. This translates into people not wanting to live or work in our town. This impacts local businesses and the quality of employees they can hire. It has an impact on any new business that might be considering coming into town. It also has a direct impact on a business owner that is trying to retire and secure a new owner. We all need to recognize that a strong educational base benefits everyone that lives and works in our community.Are 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?We have had contract negotiations over the past few years and our employees have worked with the Board to keep our costs in line. In some years our employees have had no increases. I believe that a cost of living increase is a reasonable expectation. I think it is important for employees to understand the full value of their compensation which includes salary and benefits.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?No. Superintendents and administrators should be compensated accordingly during their careers and that would reflect in their pension benefits.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I believe that education is the cornerstone of our success as a nation. Without a strong educational system in place, we do not have a strong work force. Ask any business owner. We are fortunate in our community that we are culturally diverse. Our children will be living and working in a global economy and so their exposure to different cultures now will assist them later in their job interactions. Many of our students speak a second language and I believe that will give them a stronger placement in the work force. As a Board we have work diligently to offer our students the best education that our resources can provide. I think it is important to continue with that trend.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Brian BuffiniWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?You are accountable for your actions. Your actions have consequences.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would like to have gone to school to become and architectWhat was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Philosophy. Buying a home can be a very emotional experience and my philosophy background helps me to keep things in perspective.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?You are accountable for your actions - make good choices.