Michelle Olache: Candidate Profile

Back to Batavia Unit District 101 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: BataviaWebsite: grobatavia.orgOffice sought: Batavia Unit District 101 School Board Age: 50Family: Married with 5 children - 2 in college, 2 in high school, and 1 in elementary schoolOccupation: Homemaker and Home EducatorEducation: M.S.W. B.S. - Psychology B.A. - GermanCivic involvement: Cornerstone Homeschool Junior High Math Club Coordinator, Lector at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Communion Minister to Batavia Rehab, Republican Precinct Committeeman.Elected offices held: Republican Precinct CommitteemanQuestions 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 recently attended a citizen advisory committee panel discussion where this very issue was discussed. It seems that academically according to test results and feedback from both parents and teachers, students are making these transitions very well, but many of the panelists, including two recent BHS graduates, agreed that students are lacking soft skills, e.g. communication, problem solving, self-discipline, time management, work ethic, teamwork, etc.. These skills are necessary for success either in college or the work place. Educators need to begin teaching these skills at the younger ages, so that our students can practice them while in our educational system and be prepared to transition to life beyond high school.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.Some of the budgetary issues that Batavia's school district will face in the next four years include the renegotiation of administrative, teacher, and support staff contracts, the costs associated with the athletic field redevelopment at the high school, and the everyday expenses of maintaining a school district as large as ours. I believe that we have been taxing our community too heavily and am in favor of freezing the levy. Having said that, I know that we will need to take a hard look at the budget to see where expenses can be cut. At this point, the public has only been shown a nine page breakdown of the $85 million school district budget. I would definitely ask for a very detailed budget, so that I can see exactly where our money is being spent. As in any budget, there is mandatory spending, and there is discretionary spending. I would look at the discretionary spending and ask for a prioritized needs assessment before making any readjustments or cuts. This assessment will identify any spending on services that add no value to our mission which will be the prime candidates for reduction or elimination. As a community we must focus our efforts on creating healthy and sustainable budgets within our taxing bodies so that Batavia can continue to thrive.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 not employed by, retired from, or have any family member employed by the Batavia school district. I did work in Aurora East School District some 20 years ago as a school social worker. As my family grew, I decided to stay at home.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?First and foremost, I would listen to the employee groups and their requests. It is hard to give a blanket statement about what I would do without knowing the specific economic situation at the time, but we must be responsible with our resources. I prefer to look at the school district as I would a business. The product of this business is education, and as a community, we need to provide the best education available within our means.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. I would not support any pay increase for a superintendent or administrator nearing retirement because there is no justification for such an increase. Salaries should be merit-based and paid at the appropriate performance review cycle. I intend to represent ALL school district taxpayers to get the best education for all district children. Boosting pension benefits of a retiring administrator neither improves education nor is a good use of taxpayer money. I am, therefore, completely against raising the salary of any administrator at the end of his/her career.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I believe that we need to create an environment of trust within our school district. The public needs more information from the district to be able to give their input. I would, therefore, look for ways to provide as much transparency to the public as possible. I also believe that there needs to be better communication between the board and the citizens of the school district. I would like to see a forum that allows for interaction between the board and the public so that all can truly work for a better education system. Finally, I intend to represent all taxpayers, not just those directly served by the district. In speaking with many community members, all have stated that they understand the importance of a great educational system, but they also realize there are finite resources. I hope to be a good steward of all our money while at the same time focusing on improving our schools.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis inspires me because he is a very thoughtful, compassionate, intellectual leader.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?My mother always said, "Offer everything you do for the greater glory of God." I try to follow this.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would spend more time playing with my kids.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I loved theology. It has taught me to keep the events of life in proper perspective.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I would pass on the advice that has served me well, "Offer everything you do for the greater glory of God."