Christopher Kennedy: Candidate Profile

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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: LibertyvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Libertyville District 70 School Board Age: 46Family: Wife, Lisa Son, Conor (15) Daughters Shea (14) and Eleanor (8)Occupation: attorneyEducation: B.A. State University of New York (Binghamton) J.D. John Marshall Law School (Chicago)Civic involvement: District 70 School Board (2007 - present) Libertyville Little League coach/manager (2003-2013) Greater Libertyville Soccer Association coach (2012-present) Autism Society of Illinois board member/legislative director (2003-2008)Elected offices held: District 70 School Board (2007 - present)Questions 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?During my 8 years on the District 70 board, we have committed to focusing on the preparation of our students for living, working and thriving in the 21st century. Our district-wide commitment is reflected in our renowned Applications of Learning-- which ensure that every student experiences self-directed learning, working on teams, using technology, communicating, making connections and solving problems--in every aspect of their education. Our successes are reflected in our students' high achievements, numerous academic excellence awards at all of our schools, as well as national recognition for the district as a whole, including two of our schools achieving National Blue Ribbon School Awards of Excellence in the last 4 years. While we have made great strides and achieved lofty status among Northern Illinois school districts, I believe there remain many opportunities for continuous improvement and I will continue to be a voice for further progress. To that end, I was (and will continue to be) an advocate for full-day kindergarten programming, increased second language instruction, increased after-school activities, and overall improvement of learning environments, instructional quality and integration opportunities available to children who have special 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.We have utilized sound financial and strategic planning techniques to ensure that District 70 remains financially sound for years to come. In the next few years, due to increased enrollment, we will likely need additions on at least two of our school buildings and, depending on state-level developments, we may face state funding cuts, which may have an impact on our overall annual budget. However, because we have managed funds and investments carefully and we have already completed many major projects (not to mention that we have achieved AAA bond status with Standard Poor's for the past several years), District 70 is in an excellent position to withstand foreseeable adverse developments without having to ask taxpayers for more. I will not support increasing taxes or seeking a referendum. During my time on the board, we have been very careful stewards of taxpayers' funds, ensuring that we focus spending on instruction while also investing wisely in infrastructure. We have managed to make major investments in upgraded technology that allows our students and teachers to integrate cutting-edge tools into their lessons, while modernizing all of our school buildings--including the installation of new safety and security features at all our buildings, energy-efficient air conditioning in all schools, energy-saving window and boiler replacements, new roofs, large-scale solar energy, and LED lighting. These investments will help ensure not only our children's safe learning environment, but will also save costs for taxpayers for a long time to come.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?No.As 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?As a board member, I have experienced two contract negotiations with our teachers, the most recent of which was a five year contract agreed to in 2014. In each, I have worked to maintain an open, collaborative and respectful approach to negotiations while ensuring that we reach agreement that works for our students, values our teachers and protects our taxpayers. These negotiations have not always been simple or easy, but they have been successful in achieving sensible and positive outcomes for the District.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.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I am running to help ensure continuity and stability on the board, as well as to continue helping provide all of our students with the support they need to achieve to their highest potential. Our board was honored by the Illinois Association of School Board's 2014 School Governance Recognition and we have worked to protect taxpayers while providing continuously improving instruction and preparation for our students. Our entire community benefits from having the highest educational standards and results in District 70, and I am proud to have been a part of that for the last 8 years.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Malala Yousafzai is a leader in the truest sense, with incredible courage and tenacity in seeking educational opportunities and human rights for girls everywhere.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Too many to list, but my parents taught me self-reliance and a lifelong love for learning, which both help me every day.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?What's done is done--there are no "do-overs" unless you're playing in the backyard. Learn from life's experiences and move on to more and better ones.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History. Studying why people made the choices they did (and what resulted from them) provides an invaluable insight into human nature and decision-making.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Listen to your mother.