Aaron Lawler: 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: MontgomeryWebsite: www.aaronjlawler.strikingly.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013975748626Office sought: Kaneland Unit District 302 School Board Age: 36Family: Amy Lawler (wife), James (2.5 years), Tess (2.5 months)Occupation: Humanities Instructor (tenure track)Education: BA in Visual Art and K-12 Education (North Central)MA in Liberal Studies: Interdisciplinary Humanities (North Central),MEd in Curriculum Instruction: eLearning and Technology (Concordia)PhD Candidate Educational Leadership: Organizational Change (Concordia) "â#128;œ expected graduation 2019Civic involvement: Waubonsee Community CollegeStudents for a Diverse Society Co-SponsorAlpha Lambda Sigma Co-SponsorCivic Engagment Council Member (CEC)Faculty Dev Learning Excellence Team (FDLET)Community Boards and Services WTTW Channel 11 Community Advisory Board MemberKaneland D-302 Citizens Adv Committee (applicant)Career Mentoring and Adjunct Faculty Mentoring, Benedictine University Academic Boards and AssociationsMcGraw Hill Academic Adv: Clashing Views in Ed PsychMcGraw Hill Academic Adv: Clashing Views on Ed IssuesCommunity College Humanities AssociationThe Humanities Education and Research AssociationNeighborhood and Social MediaMontgomery Neighborhood WatchFoxmoor Sub Division Neighborhood GroupKaneland Moms (and Dads) GroupElected offices held: n/aQuestions 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?I want to share my insight wherever it is needed. I want to learn more about the community, meet more of its people, and continue to forge the bonds between all groups. There is an old saying that there are five types of communication and only the first two are correct: 1) communication is when you are learning and I am learning, 2) communication is when you are right and I am right, 3) communication is me being right and you being wrong, 4) communication is you being right and me being wrong, and 5) communication is a tool to manipulate, deceive or misrepresent. If we remember this "â#128;œ if we remember that only the first two are the morally and socially positive (and appropriate!) ways of communicating, then all of us can find common ground and all of us can make this grand scheme called public education work for everyone. My plan is to ensure we have happy parents and happy teachers "â#128;œ this is what is best for our children; which is why I am both pro-community and pro-teacher! Simply, we need more communication between parents, teachers, administrators and the board. We need ways in which parents and teachers can speak directly with administrators and board members, and vice versa. We need open forums, multimedia and social media outlets, and other ways which invite this open, honest and transparent communication. We need to hear from our children too "â#128;œ the student's needs are important and must be addressed.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?I have a great deal of expertise in outcomes and assessments, specifically in creating personalized learning experiences and completed by graduate studies in personal learning plans. However, no matter what I think these assessments should look like, the stakeholders involved "â#128;œ teachers and parents "â#128;œ should be the ones determining what is best for children. I believe in twenty-first century tools, and multiple forms of assessment that are authentic and process-based. And I think that assessment should include mastery of knowledge and skills, student character, and professional grade, high quality work. I look forward to working with teachers and parents to achieve these ideals. To do this, I think we need to first determine what skills and knowledge do students need to remain competitive in a digital and global marketplace. Then we need to determine what values we need to instill to support those skills while maintaining a focus on genuineness, acceptance and empathy. Lastly, we need to help students create portfolios and presentations which showcase their readiness for community, college and career.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 have no personal agenda "â#128;œ I bring no politics to the candidacy or position. I am simply here to address the needs of different groups: parents, teachers, administrators, community members, and community organizations. I want to create stronger bonds between all stakeholders, and be the constituents' voice for an education that serves the needs of tomorrow.We should be cautious of school board members who seek avenues to voice their personal beliefs and manipulate systems to influence parents and teachers. Instead, curriculum should grow organically from the expertise of the teachers and the oversight of the parents. Together, parents and teachers can determine what is best for children. School board members should be advocates for these two groups and should find ways to support these two groups when crafting curriculum. Committees and advisory groups should be comprised of teachers and parents, which inform school board members. School board members should be versed in the culture and society, to best understand the roles of curriculum in our mission of community, college and career.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?I am advocate for keeping taxes low while simultaneously protecting housing values and our education system. I believe we need good paying jobs, a positive business climate, safe neighborhoods, and in beautifying our communities. I am also against cuts - I think this is the easy way out of financial issues which affect real people. Recently I attended a presentation by Ralph Martire, Executive Director at Center for Tax and Budget Accountability "â#128;œ a nonprofit think tank which has been advising the state of Illinois on fiscal policy since 2000. Martire speaks of ways in which we can solve the deficit and budget crisis in Illinois, yet neither party has been willing or able to adopt the CTBA's proposals. After learning how the statewide crisis could be solved in reasonable ways, I think we can certainly apply these principals to Kaneland.As a supporter for education, I also recognize the need for fiscally responsible practices. And like many community members I too have felt the impact of the increasing tax contribution we are asked to make. The issue is not should we increase taxes, but how are we budgeting currently? How is Kaneland D302 using its resources? If we measure the use of resources using SMART goals, are we seeing a strong cost benefit? Are there ways we can generate revenue in creative or alternative paths? Are there ways to spend smarter?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?While on the campaign trail, I met over 100 community members and had some meaningful discussions concerning a variety of topics. Mark (names have been changed to protect privacy) in Sugar Grove was interested in school choice. I am against school choice. I am for public education. I have spent my career in public education both at the high school and the community college. Even though Mark's ideas are different from my own, I will still represent Mark. As a school board member it is my job to investigate and become versed in what my constituents want. So I am researching school choice. I am asking Mark to help me understand his position on school choice. And maybe school choice does not become a part of our district's vision, but the ideas that make school choice attractive to Mark may help us improve our schools. Mark likes school choice because he questions values and the abilities of public schools to service all students' needs. He worries about property taxes. And he wonders if school choice could provide specializations for students who are interested in certain career tracks. We can address these ideas! We can incorporate them into our discussions on curriculum and budgetWhat other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?We can improve our communication between all stakeholders. We can provide more opportunities for interaction between stakeholders be that face-to-face or virtually. We can facilitate real dialogue between these groups in open, honest and transparent ways. We can continue to be creative when problem solving. At several board meetings I have seen board members offer new suggestions or new innovations in policy, practice, and procedure, all with the goal of getting the most out of our budget. But we can do more of this and we can follow through with these ideas. I think it is common for all large organizations, and especially school districts across this State, to use existing methods to solve existing problems. We need to think differently. We need to come up with solutions that address transportation, class size, personnel, curriculum, and infrastructure. We need to look at ways to move our classrooms and our curricula into the 21st century but not at the expense of our fundamental needs. So my philosophy is: if the change you are looking for is not there, then you become that change. That is my plan. I will become the kind of board member that fosters more communication and interaction. I will bridge the divide. I will address the constituents' needs first and foremost. And I will do because I have no personal agenda. I only have the community's agenda, because happy teachers and happy parents make for well-rounded, happy, educated children. And that is good for all us.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Robert Greenleaf taught that the leader who serves his people has this real power. To become this kind of leader, one must serve first.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?If you have knowledge then it is your duty to share this with others. This is being a steward of information and wisdom.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I am incredibly blessed. I am luckier than I deserve. We all owe a debt and should find ways to payback our good fortunes.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I am a student of all disciplines. I excelled in the humanities. I have found that I best understand the world through an interdisciplinary approach.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I believe in Rogers' method: we best nurture our children through genuineness, acceptance, and empathy. We can create a kinder and more beautiful world.