Robin Cleek: 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: Vernon HillsWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Hawthorn District 73 School Board Age: 37Family: My husband, Gabe, and I have been married for 12 years. We have 3 children, a 10 year old boy in 4th grade, a 7 year old boy in 2nd grade, and a 4 1/2 year old girl starting Kindergarten this fall. I grew up in Vernon Hills and had a wonderful experience as a student at Hawthorn Schools, so we moved back here in 2004.Occupation: Stay at home mother. Formerly, I was an attorney, and still maintain an active license.Education: Juris Doctor, 2002, Loyola University Chicago School of Law Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Studies, 1999, University of Wisconsin-MadisonCivic involvement: I served on the Reorganization Committee in our district in the Spring of 2014. In addition to helping out weekly in my son's classroom, I volunteer periodically at various charity organizations in our community.Elected 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'm very satisfied that District 73 is adequately preparing our students for the next stage of their lives. We're fortunate to live in a community where people highly value education and creating well rounded individuals. Our students go on to become good citizens, successful in high school not only academically, but in extra-curriculars like fine arts and athletics. Seeing that 96% of the high school graduates go on to college, I'm confident our students are prepared for the next stage. With that said, there's always room for improvement. It'll be important to watch trends in achievement as we continue to meet the relatively new Common Core standards. We must remain vigilant to improve our level of success as we apply the new strategic plan and implement the reorganization, keeping in mind the unchartered territory of PARCC assessments and constant changes in technology. Examining ways to incorporate STEM into the curriculum is necessary to prepare our students for the future as well. While our district collaborates with the local high schools, it's important to consider their recommendations for areas requiring more attention. Parents have a tremendous influence over their child's success at school, and it's beneficial to consider their feedback also. Although most students are doing well, we must find ways to enable them to maximize their potential while also reaching those that aren't as prepared, intervening as early as possible.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.After attending all but a few Board meetings in the last 15 months and reviewing the financial information available to me, it seems our district is in stable shape financially. Hawthorn faces more than 20 teacher retirements at the end of the school year, but a sizable cash reserve is in place in anticipation of that event. Of course, significant cuts to staff and programs were made in order to achieve financial stability. We've learned to live without some of those staff positions and programs, but others (like teacher's aides) are greatly missed. Over the next four years, the Board needs to make decisions that allow the reintroduction of programs that can justify the expenditure. Further cuts should not be made unless the items either don't improve or significantly impact education. Three years from this spring teacher contracts will be up for renewal. Teacher salaries are the district's largest expense. The Board will need to be mindful of the budget while being supportive of our teachers and their needs for the classroom, aides, professional development, etc. Hawthorn needs to remain competitive with surrounding districts to retain top-notch educators, as they have a greater impact on learning than any other factor. I am not in favor of increasing taxes. There are more creative ways to generate revenue. Increasing taxes would be my last choice. The purpose of a school district is to positively impact student learning, which should be top of mind when making cuts or spending.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, I am not employed by or retired from any school district, nor is any member of my family.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?Since the Board and various employee groups all have a goal of providing the best education possible, all parties should be able to work together to meet our students' needs. I don't see any contract negotiation as a Board vs. Employee situation. Open and honest communication is critical to ensure all parties have their needs met in a mutually agreeable fashion. The Center for Public Education, as well as the Economic Policy Institute have both published research (and I'm paraphrasing here) that shows teachers are the biggest in-school predictor of student achievement. Therefore, the Board should try to find every way possible to meet district goals within the budget without asking for concessions. Salary or benefit increases are possible while keeping in mind many factors such as the economy and inflation rate, employee performance and experience, and salary structures at similarly situated districts.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 don't think it's appropriate to increase the compensation of a superintendent or administrator just to increase their pension benefits. It doesn't improve academics or other areas of student achievement. If I sit on the Board, one of my duties will be to act as a fiduciary of the district's money, which is funded by taxpayer dollars. This means making sure as much of the budget as possible goes toward improving education. Increases in compensation should be based on the terms of their contracts and measures of performance, while remaining competitive with surrounding districts. Legislation in Illinois already exists to cap these types of pre-retirement boosts.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Our district has a problem retaining teachers. Turnovers are costly and are disruptive to the students, especially when someone leaves mid-year. It's crucial that we find effective ways to support our faculty so they know they're valued. Putting aides back in the lower elementary grades, especially as we start a full day Kindergarten program, would help students and teachers. Finding on-site professional development opportunities for new and veteran teachers keeps them current and motivated. Offering more help with curriculum planning and keeping their salary benefits in line with competing districts are just a few more ways to retain quality employees. Another key issue is the disparate performances between the schools within the district. Whether the reorganization fixes this remains to be seen. The Board needs to examine successful curriculum programs and replicate them throughout. I'm constantly keeping my ears and mind open. Parents of students already enrolled, those yet to be enrolled, employees, and taxpayers are all stakeholders with important concerns to be considered and addressed. My legal background has allowed me to develop strong information gathering and research skills, which I would use prior to making impactful decisions on the Board. I also believe having a legal background would help me and the other Board members analyze educational policy issues. Board members need to be capable of considering opinions and information from many sources, even if that information negates their previously held beliefs.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Malala Yousafzai. She stood up for a female's right to education, and survived the retaliation of the Taliban. She bravely continues her activism.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Never stop learning, even when you're old gray. A smart person realizes they don't know everything and always takes in new information.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?All of my mistakes and embarrassments have made me who I am, so I don't want a do-over. I'm very content.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Language arts. Reading critically writing well helped improve all other subject areas in school. As a lawyer, it helped my arguments be more effective.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Have integrity. Be honest, expect the same from others in return. Relationships based in honesty yield the most happiness.