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Ben Scherr: Candidate Profile

Northwest High School District 214 School Board

Back to Northwest High School District 214 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: Buffalo groveWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Ben Scherr for District 214 School BoardOffice sought: Northwest High School District 214 School Board Age: 36Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Candidate did not respond.Education: Master's Degree: Higher Education: Specialization in College Student PersonnelBuffalo Grove High School GraduateCivic involvement: Americorps AlumElected 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?I am a first-time candidate that supports both Redefining Ready, and the Harper Promise Scholarship initiatives. They both have been board adopted over the previous two years, leading to what I believe creates a new culture shift by valuing student success as more than just a test score. Community service hours are a benchmark in both areas, and am I running to make sure that the board and district place a greater emphasis on service in order to best serve all of the students and the community.In addition to being a Buffalo Grove High School graduate, I have a Master's Degree in Higher Education with a specialization in College Student Personnel, spending 10 years working directly with college students in the area of student life. I feel that both my education and experience will bring the type of added value that is needed to both challenge and support a highly effective board in a highly achieving district.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?The Harper Promise Scholarship program began with the class of 2019, and provides the opportunity for all students to receive up to two free years of free higher education tuition if they meet certain benchmarks that include maintaining a "C" average, having good attendance, not repeating classes, and completing service to their community. Beginning with the class of 2019, 67.9% of student opted-in to the program. While 53% of those enrolled met the benchmarks to continue in the program as Sophomores, the district knows for sure that 29%, and possibly up to 44% of the students who enrolled failed to move on due to not completing five hours of community service. Since those number were reported in October 2016, the board has not spoken publicly about this. The class of 2020 numbers increased with 2,725 students opting-in, equaling 82% of all Freshman students. The board needs to hold themselves, and the district accountable for making sure the proper tools are in place to provide every opportunity for all students to have up to two free years of tuition. As a step in creating a formal plan for service, if elected, I will propose a minimum 25 hours of community service to be added to the graduation requirements. This is half of the 50 hours required for Harper Promise, and equal to the number already stated in Redefining Ready as being career ready. We need to start recognizing the service all students perform over their four years.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?While I believe the board should not directly set the curriculum, they should recognize and support curriculum that includes service learning, career, and life components.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 three current board members that are not up for re-election have more than 40 years of combined experience as District 214 board members, being part of a board that has a record of producing a balanced budget for 22 straight years, as well as not having an official tax referendum in over 40 years for building improvements. If elected, I will continue to strive for the same results while making sure all district stakeholders best interests are taken into account.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 feel that families or future families choose to move here due to this being a highly achieving district, and believe choice is not an issue in this district. The board should stay informed on any state or national future policies that may impact the district in any way.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Working to implement a service hour requirement is my top issue. In addition to service, I believe that there should be a larger emphasis on digital literacy training. This includes, but is not limited to cyber awareness and security, digital footprints, understanding sponsored news vs news, and dealing with internet trolling.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Bill GatesWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Saying please and thank you to othersIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Taking the chance to be an entrepreneur.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Statistics was my favorite subject, and I use it daily in my writing.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Respect and treat others equally.