Taylor Egan: 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: GenevaWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Geneva Unit District 304 School Board Age: 37Family: I have been married to Jim Egan for 14 years. Before moving to Geneva, we lived in Chicago. We chose Geneva over other Western suburbs for the strong education system, community pride, and small town appeal. Jim and I have two children, Elliot and Oliver. Elliot, a 3rd grader, and Oliver, a kindergartner, attend Mill Creek Elementary School. We have lived in Geneva for 8 years.Occupation: Stay at home momEducation: Bachelor of Arts from DePaul UniversityCivic involvement: I've been involved with the Mill Creek Elementary PTO since 2012. Currently serving as Co-President, I was also Vice President and Treasurer for year terms. I have organized numerous, successful drives including; food for Tri-City Family Services, coats for Hesed House in Aurora and school supplies for Johnson School of Excellence, CPS K-8 in the North Lawndale Community. 2013 to current, I have been Co-Troop Leader for Girl Scout Troop 429. I also volunteer annually for the Geneva Christmas Walk which raises money for the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.Elected offices held: NoneQuestions 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?Geneva School District is extremely successful in preparing each student for the next academic level. Each level of our system has either made changes or is pushing forward with new programs to help our students advance successfully. With the implementation of full day kindergarten, our youngest students are getting the necessary exposure to the Common Core foundation. As our fifth grade students prepare for middle school, they will head off having spent a year benefiting from the One-on-One Initiative, which ensures each student has an individual portable device. Becoming a critical thinker is a foundation of Common Core and the One-on-One program looks to capitalize on that key principle incorporating it into the world of technology. Assuming the cost of expanding this program can be done reasonably, I feel moving the program into the middle school is the next logical step. In our high school, the Virtual Enterprise program allows juniors and seniors to experience the process of creating and launching a business. This is the most tangible example of how our district is prepping students to not only excel at the next level, but into the real world. An area for improvement would be increasing the level of continuity amongst the schools. Geneva High School's Teacher Assistant program, allowing students to interact within elementary and middle school classrooms, shows the potential our District has to develop community focused programs. Offering more opportunities for mentoring and leadership will bind our schools together more cohesively.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.There are two major events that if they were to happen concurrently would continue to keep the District in financial stress. First, Geneva School District's debt and the growing debt service plan payments will peak between 2016 through 2019. Second, Illinois State Funding may, at some point in the future, be reduced as Illinois looks to redistribute where and how funds are dispersed. Illinois legislators will be revisiting this reform under SB-1. With less revenue coming in and more cost going out the outlook is not bright. The current board has multiple options for restructuring the District's debt service plan. I agree with this course of action. Restructuring will allow the District's payments to remain manageable, albeit far from optimal. The District must continue to do future planning. The seven year safety and maintenance plan in place is one example road mapping the future state. Taking a macro view of future expenditures balanced against current needs will ensure money is spent wisely and only where necessary. Other major spend categories should also be forced ranked to further ensure we properly identify not only where money is spent, but in what order. Despite the gravity of the District's financial situation, we must keep our eye on our educational standards, push toward wise technology investments and always be mindful that our job is to provide the best possible future for students of our District.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?There is a systematic approach that must be taken when negotiating contracts. The beginning step must be an open dialogue between all parties. All issues and relevant facts must be heard, interpreted and understood. A foundation of transparency can only help as the toughest of issues are worked out. Geneva School District must look to the market and understand where it ranks with all key issues, not just salary. We have a responsibility to our students to afford them the best teachers we can attract. Likewise, we want teachers and support staff to be proud of where they work and feel they are being treated fairly. Allowing the market to guide us will help pave the way to a fair and equitable deal. Similarly, there is an acute responsibility to tax payers. In order to remain a viable community attractive to all families, taxes cannot increase at a rate that would negatively impact our home owners. By understanding the financial health of our District and the overall economy, we can begin to understand whether or not concessions are necessary from either side of the negotiating table. Anytime a negotiation leads to a lopsided contract, inevitably dissatisfaction will creep in and lead to future problems.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 do not believe this is a good course of action. Looking at the administration budget and comparing salaries to other districts, our superintendent and administrators are paid a fair and competitive wage. There should always be room for financial growth but, it is my opinion that earning more should be contingent upon performance and delivering results. If we were to artificially raise a salary at the end of a career, then I believe we are sending the wrong message. We should want all of our educators and administrators focused on growing throughout the duration of their career. Supporting a system that seemingly encouraged longevity over results would be misguided. Our District should be positioned to attract and retain the top talent.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?As Geneva School District moved to Common Core a couple of years ago, with it came new testing. I am concerned about not only the amount of testing our kids go through but how these test results are being used. Both students and teachers are being evaluated on these scores. Take for instance the PARCC Test, it is not being administered with a uniform methodology. Another key issue for me is how the district rolls out its technology plan. As mentioned earlier, I believe our students need a strong technology base in order to successfully advance. Obviously, this comes at a cost. Given the District's current financial situation, I want to make sure we are being fiscally responsible, while still advancing the technology initiative. We must prioritize and rationalize which investments are made and in what order. Lastly, in talking with District leadership there is a more pronounced focus on the social and emotional well-being of our students. I believe our district leadership should be cognizant of societal pressure and not only continue with existing programs, but make sure the programs stay at the forefront of our future planning. While, I believe strongly that these issues should be discussed and addressed, like all of the residents running for the school board, I recognize that our first obligation is managing the District's finances responsibly.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.I'm proud to say Jane Goodall because my daughter has become infatuated with this iconic preservationist. Her effect on my daughter is contagious and inspirational.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The importance of a supportive, loving and stable home to allow a child's natural emotional development to occur at an appropriate pace.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Travel. Experiencing different cultures and people broadens your world view and approach to humanity. This is especially important in today's world and political climate.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History. At DePaul, I assisted with several historical research projects. The methodology, persistence, and uncovering of new facts or interpretations have been invaluable life lessons.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Encouraging them to have the self-confidence and perseverance it takes to create their own path in life.