Kellen Ronald Merchen: 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: LibertyvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Libertyville District 70 School Board Age: 32Family: Megan Merchen - wifeBoyd - sonOwen -sonOccupation: General Manager of Neumann's Cigars MoreEducation: B.S. - Criminal Justice, Colorado Technical UniversityCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.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?Candidate did not respond.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?There currently is a good balance of formal and informal assessments. The district uses data from several different tests to gather information. Some of these assessments include STAR, CoGAT, and research-based individual reading inventories to measure student progress and growth. The PARC test is state mandated, but our results show that students are prepared for that assessment when they take it. I am happy with the current assessment process, but I think it is always something that is open for discussion if state policies change, as we want to make sure we continue to provide our students with an excellent education.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?The board of education should play a supportive role in listening to the needs of the community and the teachers when new curriculum is being considered.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?The potential for future developments within the Libertyville community poses an additional challenge to District 70. With any potential new development the school board needs to be aware of how this could impact class size and student resources. If this were to become an issue while I was a member of the school board, I would listen to the needs of the teachers and staff and support them so they continue to meet the needs of all students. 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?Candidate did not respond.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Robert Reich, served as Labor Secretary under President Clinton. One of the qualities that I appreciate and inspires me about Mr. Reich is his consistent ability to look at large social issues and offer thoughts and ideas that are intended to help the larger population.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?I learned that you should always lead by example. You should never ask anyone to do anything you wouldn't be prepared to do yourself. It keeps you honest and fair.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I really am fortunate to be one of those people who is genuinely grateful for the life I have. My family, friends, and community always come first, and so I do not have any big regrets. I do, however, wish that I had listened to my mother and learned to play the piano. When I meet people with a talent like that, it always makes me wish I could join in and be part of the music!What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject in school was math. In managing a retail business my enjoyment for numbers comes into play everyday. Whether it is forecasting sales or managing cashflow, math helps my accomplish my task at work. If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I would tell my children to always be aware of who they are and to look for ways to help others in their community. Too many times we get caught up in the daily grind and are unaware of the what truly matters in life.