Sean McQuade: Candidate Profile

Back to Carol Stream Elementary District 93 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: Hanover ParkWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Carol Stream Elementary District 93 School Board Age: 49Family: Two children, son 12, daughter 10Occupation: Production ManagerEducation: Some collegeCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.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 am completely satified with the quality of education that students in CCSD93 are receiving. We have dedicated administrators and talented staff providing world class instruction. With relevant curriculum and 1:1 technology our students are strongly positioned for the transition to high school and beyond. The biggest change that I would like to see is to remove politics from education. Local control is what is best for all school districts, not political posturing with unfunded mandates and regulations.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.At CCSD93 we are very fortunate to have good fund balances. We are actually spending fund balances down to upgrade our facilities and learning centers. We take budgets and finances seriously and closely discuss and monitor all income and expenses. I would only support local tax increases in an effort to maintain or improve current educational programs and practices already in place. I think the biggest concern regarding income for school districts in Illinois is the inability of the state to fund education at levels promised.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?CCSD93 recently negotiated contracts with both their teachers and support staff. We are a few years away from going to the table again. It is hard to tell now what issues will come up at the next bargaining sessions but I'm sure both sides will be prepared and professional.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?This is a question that would need to be answered collectively by the entire school board. I do not like the idea of increasing pay for pension benefits. Pensions are a hot topic and I would like to see reform. I do not support the current reform tied up in the courts right now.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?There are many issues that a school board member must face in the near future. In no particular order we will be charged with answering topics such as No Child Left Behind reauthorization, unfunded state mandates, unfunded GSA and transportation allocations, pension reform, PARCC assessments, teacher evaluations based on student growth indicators, charter school infiltration, declining EAV, class sizes, technology, professional development, increased poverty. All are important.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.The pope. He seems real.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Treat people as you would want to be treated.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?A college education.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math. It helps me to analyze and problem solve.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?The world is your playground. Get out and play.