Paul Leong: Candidate Profile

Back to Naperville Unit District 203 School Board

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: NapervilleWebsite: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014853498882Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014853498882Office sought: Naperville Unit District 203 School Board Age: 53Family: Spouse: Yuqin WangSon: Benjamin LeongDaughter: Hannah LeongOccupation: Financial AnalystEducation: Dual degree Finance/EconomicsCivic involvement: Naperville Pack 444 ChairmanRay Chinese School TeacherNaperville Park District Little League ManagerElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers With growing concern around mental health and addiction, what should the district do to build mentally healthy students, support the mental health of students who have mental illnesses and help students avoid addiction?1) Use the partnership that the administration/teachers have with the parents/students to disseminate early detection/prevention educational information regarding mental health/addiction.2) Ensure that the front line teachers are trained to spot the early warning signs of these problems so they can communicate with parents to manage treatment/prevention.Research and a local opinion survey have shown there could be benefits to starting the school day later for junior high and high school students. What changes, if any, do you think should be made to the school schedule and why? How should the district adjust class periods, teacher preparation time, busing, student activities or other factors to account for any schedule changes?I would wait for the feedback from the current surveys to be thoroughly digested before recommending any potentially disruptive changes. After hearing the voices of the community, I would make sure to communicate proposed changes as early possible to allow the opportunity for the community to give feedback. After further consensus building, perhaps roll out a trial or pilot program. If the trial is a success, roll out the program district wide with early notification so that everyone has time to make the appropriate adjustments. Overall, I am in favor of a longer school day for all levels (K-12). I was delighted by the addition of the full day kindergarten option, but it was too late for my kids.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 think that the ISBE should set the minimum requirements for the curriculum in the state of Illinois. I think that local School Boards (such as District 203), should then be empowered to extend their curriculums to meet the needs/goals of their communities.My direction for changes would be to add concepts such as agility, flexibility, and creativity to better cope with the rapidly changing environment for jobs and entrepreneurship. Automation and AI are coming and there is an urgent need to create more pathways to success for our students.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?In the event that the state of Illinois redistributes property taxes from District 203 to other less fortunate districts, a budget crisis would likely result. If that were to occur, EVERY expense line item would need to be scrutinized to achieve the greatest efficiencies possible. I would initially look towards automation/technology to deliver the most effective education opportunities possible for the lowest cost, with the goal of minimizing the effect of the budget cuts; but I would remain open to other ideas/strategies. I would only support tax/fee increases if we could guarantee that the money would remain "in district".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?District 203 schools have an outstanding reputation and they would remain at the top of most short lists if choice/vouchers were approved. Competition for funds and the best students might make the system more financially efficient, but might negatively affect some segments of the student population. Because District 203 and its board would have no direct input on such a decision, it would be their responsibility to communicate with and educate the parents/residents of 203 to express their preferences in the voting booth with the goal of providing quality education for all students.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?1) Earlier standardized testing for earlier placement. Currently testing for placement starts in grade 3, with some placement not implemented until grade 4. I would suggest evaluating student ability as soon as possible, so that all students can receive the instruction that best suits their capabilities/achievement. 2) Longer school day. Possibly a volunteer pilot program with specific curriculum with extra fees for after school and weekends. Many parents are doing something of this nature, why not use existing facilities to achieve greater efficiencies, lower costs, and allow more students to participate?Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Jimmy Carter. The greatest ex-president. His lifetime of public service is unmatched. Seeing what he accomplished, especially later in life, inspires me to do more.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?One size does not fit all. I grew amongst a family of nine kids and two parents. Each child was unique and had individual needs.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would start my family at a younger age so that I could have more children (currently have two, one boy and one girl).What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Astronomy was my favorite because it humbles you regarding the size/scope/diversity of the universe and it simultaneously inspires my vision for the future.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?"If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life."Marc AnthonyThis is outstanding advice for everyone's kids!