Noah Little: 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: Sugar GroveWebsite: https://noahlittle4217.wixsite.com/kanelandTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Kaneland Unit District 302 School Board Age: 43Family: Wife - DaraSon - Jackson - 2nd GradeDaughter - Madeleine - 7th GradeOccupation: Elementary School PrincipalEducation: Bachelors of Science - Elementary EducationMasters in Educational AdministrationCivic involvement: Montgomery Rotary - MemberKaneland SD 302 Finance Advisory Committee MemberKaneland United Youth Soccer CoachNext Gen Kids Teacher - The Orchard Community ChurchElected offices held: No prior political offices held.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?For 19 years I have been involved in various aspects of public education which includes being a classroom teacher, coach, and currently an elementary school administrator. I am also a Kaneland parent with two children who are currently being educated in the distrct. I have been actively involved in their education by helping them with homework and supporting and actively participating in their extracurricular activities. For the past three years I have served on the Financial Advisory Committee. During my time on the committee I have been able to increase my knowledge and understanding of the district's finances and participating in discussions to ensure the district is fiscally responsible. I want to bring my experience, passion, and interest in serving as a public school educator and administrator to our district to ensure we're preparing our children to be college, career and community ready.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?Student success in the Kaneland School District is measured by the percentage of students graduating and the percent of students meeting/exceeding standards on the state PARCC assessments. These are adequate measures. I would be open to exploring other student success measures if brought forth by the district.How big a role do you think the board of education should play in setting the curriculum for students and what ideas do you have for changes to the current curriculum?I do not believe the board of education should be involved in setting the curriculum for students. That responsibility should rest with the district administration, teachers, and parent adivsory commmittees. However, the board is responsible for being a voice for the community to ensure that the district's meeting academic standards and achieving growth goals. I may want to talk with district administration to make sure our curriculum is helping us achieve our goals but I would not mandate changes.What budget issues will your district have to confront and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, what programs and expenses should be reduced or eliminated? On the income side, do you support any tax or fee increases?Our district may have to confront budget issues as we deal with reduced state funding and untimely payments from the state. I don't know if budgetary cuts will be necessary and what programs should or should not be eliminated. What I will do as a board member is support the superintendent's recommendations and openly discuss with other board members any concerns I have with the recommendations as well as to ensure that any proposed cuts or programs have as little impact on our students as possible. I am strongly against the proposal that Governor Rauner announced to put a property tax freeze in place as Kaneland relies heavily on property taxes.What role can and should school choice play in your district? If Congress or the state approves a voucher system or other means giving students broader choices among public and private schools, how will that affect your district? What is the appropriate response for the board of education of a public school system?I'm a staunch advocate for public education and am concerned that redirecting local tax dollars out of our school system, especially at a time when the state is not meeting its existing fiscal obligations, could jeapardize the programs we offer our children if a significant number of families elect open enrollment. The crux of the issue is that private schools can choose their students, while public schools do not. This means districts need to accomodate a more diverse (demographically, socioeconomic, academic, etc.) student population which can place additional strains on a public school. It's unclear to me how many Kaneland families would opt for open enrollment but as a Board member, I will work to make sure our district is financially sound while meeting the academic, social, and behvioral needs of all our students.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The District's 2020 Strategic Plan provides a sound framework for moving Kaneland forward. If elected to the board, I would welcome the chance to work with the community and administration to ensure resources are stratetically directed to carry out the plan.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Elizabeth WarrenWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?That you have to work hard to get anywhere in life.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?My first year and a half of college.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Mathematics. It has helped me analyze data to make informed decisions.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Work hard, find what interests you, and have empathy for others.