Barbara Kain: 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: PalatineWebsite: Engaged15.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Barb Cochonour KainOffice sought: Palatine District 15 School Board Age: 40Family: Patrick Kain, husbandOwen Kain (9), sonEthan Kain (7), sonOccupation: District 214, Assistant in Teaching Learning DepartmentEducation: Bachelor of Science, Business AdministrationUniversity of Illinois, Urbana-ChampaignCivic involvement: Sanborn PTA, Room ParentDistrict 15 Community Closet VolunteerThe Bridge 5K Committee Volunteer4rd15Kids co-founder (group opposed to Nov. 2016 $130M referendum for D15)League of Women Voters, memberTeam Mom PYB, Celtic SoccerElected offices held: NoneQuestions 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 me, it was really this past Fall, when the referendum was announced, that I began to really educate myself on issues facing the District 15 community. It quickly became apparent to me that the community has a lot of great ideas, but they haven't had a voice in planning for the district's future. There has been a pretty startling of lack of transparency regarding the decision-making process of the current School Board, and it's important to me that a new group of School Board members bring greater transparency, accountability and community engagement to the process. As well, as I dug in to information available to support the referendum plan I found myself with a lot of questions and very little data to answer those questions or support the $130 million ask. While I very much agree that many of the proposed ideas had merit, I didn't feel like the current administration or School Board had provided enough data to justify such a large price tag or enough time or information to investigate other alternatives. Since the Fall, I've become much more proactive where our educational system is concerned and have learned that my concerns are not mine alone. I think I will bring a fresh perspective to the School Board, a perspective that considers the opinions and concerns of members of our community and relies upon data to ensure sound decisions are being made. I feel that's an important step to reinstating the community's trust in the School Board.What was your position on the district's proposal to build two new schools, which failed in the November election? Why? How should the district address its facilities needs over the next two years? Would you support another referendum, and if so, how do you think a plan can be developed that would pass?I was strongly opposed to the $130M building bond referendum proposed by the School Board in August of 2017 and which failed by a significant margin in the November election. While I felt that the plan had merits (revisited school boundaries, full day Kindergarten), I felt that it was far too rushed and was not supported by concrete data, nor were enough community members engaged in its development. I was so strong in my concern that community members would vote in favor of this rushed, flawed plan without having all the facts or details (or lack thereof), that I co-founded the group For Our District 15 Kids (4RD15Kids) with the goal of generating awareness of the referendum question that would face voters on the ballot, especially as 80% of the District 15 community does not have children in the school system. It was very important to me that community members have the opportunity to make an educated decision on election day.I believe District 15's facility needs will be a strong focus over the next two years, and that a balanced solution needs to be identified that both ensures we're taking appropriate care of the facilities where our children learn while also satisfying currently un-met needs. If those un-met needs require financial support that can only be delivered via referendum, I'd give strong consideration to supporting a referendum, provided solid financial and logistical research was conducted to justify it.As contract talks come up with other employee groups, do you believe the district should ask for concessions, expect costs to stay about the same, or provide increases in pay and benefits? If you are an incumbent, why did you support the 10-year teacher contract? If you are a newcomer, what's your view of the contract? Would you support similar length contracts for other employee groups? Why or why not.As a newcomer, I'm concerned by the approval of the 10-Year teacher's contract, not because of the benefits it offers to teachers, but because of the School Board's lack of involvement in the negotiating process, their lack of transparency in communicating its details to the taxpayers, and their lack of concern for the long term financial health of the district as evidenced by the length of the contract term. I would not support a contract of this length for any employee group; 10 years is just too far down the road to predict the District's financial situation with any degree of accuracy, especially given economic uncertainties nationally and within the state of Illinois. A contract with a term this long can end up punishing everyone involved. For example, given that this contract covers 100% of employees' medical premiums, any increases in premiums will have to be absorbed by the school district. If we reach a point where that becomes financially unviable, a referendum or job cuts may be the only way out. Another example is the starting salary of teachers by the end of the contract term"â#128;ťif inflation increases more than starting salaries, employment in District 15 will be less desirable than in neighboring communities offering better compensation making it difficult to attract the best talent.I think it will be incredibly important to have School Board representation in the negotiations for any future contracts, with a strong focus on long term viability.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 think there are a number of issues and initiatives at play which will impact the District's budget, each in their own way. Boundaries should be re-examined to help balance out capacity issues and reduce transportation times and costs. Full day kindergarten should be investigated as an option, which could require additional space. Existing school buildings need to be maintained on an ongoing and timely basis per Life Safety Study mandates. Technology should be incorporated into classrooms to facilitate personalized learning and development. All of these initiatives need to be balanced with an eye toward long-term financial health.If elected I look forward to working with the other Board Members and the administration to understand and consider various alternatives which will allow us to grow as a district while limiting additional tax burdens to tax payers. This may mean spending on research to better understand expected population growth, impact of moving boundaries, etc., but I think in the long run, it's worth commissioning research to understand the impact of the various initiatives on District 15's long term financial situation.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 am the product of the Illinois public school system, and I've been surrounded by family members who are public school educators my entire life. I believe strongly in the public education system's ability to prepare students to think critically and create opportunities for themselves. I think District 15 schools offer diverse learning environments to our students, with many different cultures and socioeconomic groups represented within our community. That said, it's important that all students be afforded the same opportunities and be prepared equally well for their future endeavors. And if we can learn something from the voucher system that would strengthen our ability to ensure these opportunities exist for all students, we should be open to that learning.Ultimately, I think it's the responsibility of our Board Members to ensure that the students in District 15 are receiving the best possible education and have the greatest likelihood for future success, regardless of state or federal policies. That's why I think it's important to make the educational decisions that will impact our community's learners here, at the local level.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The educational environment is changing rapidly, with very progressive ideas taking hold. Greater value is placed today on developing good global citizens who become contributing members of our community. We've started identifying opportunities to both keep students engaged in their school work and, at the same time, allow their own personal interests to blossom. We've started thinking beyond just transitioning students successfully to junior high and high school and then again to college or into the workforce. It's important to me that in District 15 we foster a community that develops students academically while also encouraging curiosity and exploration. This could include creating more personalized learning opportunities, more STEM curriculum opportunities, community service experiences, dual language programming, etc. as we focus on developing well-rounded learners with great potential to return to our community as successful adults.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Ruth Bader GinsburgWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The value of working hard to get what you want. I grew up with 2 working parents who instilled in me a strong work ethic.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would look for ways to get more practical experience in the working world before choosing a career.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math -- it helped teach me to think critically and look to data and information for support.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Don't forget to "play." I want my kids to experience life and look beyond their books and electronics.