Jamie DiCarlo: 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: Hawthorn District 73 School Board Age: 36Family: Son Luca, 8 years old 3rd grade- Townline School of Dual LanguageOccupation: Director of Student Services, School District 70, Morton Grove, Il.Education: B.S. Special Education M.A. Education M.A. Educational LeadershipCivic involvement: 5k Race Coordinator, CKMC Coach/Assistant Coach (currently Basketball) 3rd Grade Rel Education TeacherElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.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?I believe Hawthorn does an excellent job preparing students for high school and cultivates life-long learners. Hawthorn feeds into multiple high school districts and I know that the communication between Hawthorn and the local high schools surrounding transition is very good. I have many friends whose children have experienced a very positive transition to high school. I applaud the district for really taking strides in examining data for student growth. Across buildings, data is being used more and more to inform instruction. In the end, this benefits all of our learners tremendously. As with everything, there is always room to grow. Therefore there are likely things we can do moving forward to strengthen the high school, college and career readiness programming.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.I do not support tax increases unless there are extenuating circumstances that the district would be faced with. After other creative budget cuts, I would see a tax increase as the last resort. The district has taken a conservative approach over time and I support that for the future. The new elementary school boundaries should help the district financially in the long term and I am eager to support the district through that transition. I feel strongly that the dual language program should not be cut. Research supports dual language as the most beneficial program for students learning English as their second language (or simultaneous language). There are major benefits for Native English speakers within a dual language program as well. Having taught in a dual language school and as a dual language parent, I have seen the short and long-term benefits firsthand. I would also support consideration to expand the program to the middle school.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?I am employed by Morton Grove School District 70 in Morton Grove Illinois where I am the Director of Student Services. My mother will retire from Hawthorn School District this year after teaching there for 30 years.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?I think it is important, when negotiating new teacher contracts, to factor cost of living increases and benefits costs to the employee. It is important to also examine compensation packages of surrounding districts. All of that being said, we still have the responsibility to remain fiscally responsible over time. Salaries and compensation should really be determined after considering all of these factors.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?I would not support a substantial increase in pay to an administrator nearing retirement. We have a financial responsibility to our students and their education. I feel that the future will hold many progressive opportunities for our students and their education. Therefore, we must be cautious about our spending so that future opportunities to expand curricular resources and supports can be considered. (An example of this could be in the area of technology.)What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?With transition to the Common Core standards and the PARCC assessment, I believe it is critical to ensure teachers have adequate training. I would love to see the Board focus on long range strategic planning around teacher support and professional development in these and other areas.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.The leaders who have inspired me most are Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Family and heritage are so important. I have been blessed with grandparents born in Italy and have learned traditions to carry on to my son.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I student taught on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. The culture and traditions were fascinating and I wish I had stayed longer.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?English- I love languages and a strong foundation in English really helped me acquire proficiency in Spanish and Italian.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Live what you love. Focus your energy there.