Martha (Marty) Glover Boyd: 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: Glen EllynWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Glen Ellyn District 41 School Board Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Husband DennisChildren attend District 41 schoolsOccupation: Stay at home momEducation: Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University, Greencastle IndianaCivic involvement: District 41 Facilities Task Force, school PTA where I initiated and led after school programs and the Glen Ellyn Newcomers. Volunteer for St. Petronille Faith Formation classes, Cub Scout Pack #158, and the Glen Ellyn Junior Women's Club Christmas Basket program.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?I moved to Glen Ellyn in large part due to the reputation of the schools and a desire that my children learn in a public school environment. I want to be involved in sustaining that reputation and its lasting character on our community. I am motivated to run for a position on the District 41 school board to honor the trust that the community places on the educational system. I believe that all students should excel in fundamental academic skills. That the school board should take parents' concerns seriously and that issues should be approached with an open mind. I believe that the district is mandated to give each student a strong foundation in learning and to prepare them for high school and beyond. I believe in order to secure these goals, long range plans are needed for our educational priorities.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?Our district has a multiple ways of measuring student learning: a new Long Range Plan, standardized tests and teacher assessments. The recently completed Long Range Plan for 2017 "â#128;œ 2022 will enable the administration to measure strategic priorities including academic excellence. This plan was developed with community stakeholders' input and it will be a valuable tool to measure success moving forward; quarterly progress reports are forthcoming. To address the topic of standardized testing, there seems to be a lot of testing in our schools and I wonder if it is out of balance with instruction time. Another concern is that the curriculum has been narrowed to the test subjects. If elected, I look forward to a robust curriculum and testing discussion with teachers, the administration and the school board including ways to reintroduce more liberal arts subjects such as history and geography into the classroom. Further it is my expectation that teachers know their students' learning styles, can best articulate work habits and whether students are mastering their work. In my opinion, the best indicator of student achievement is the teacher along with the other named assessments.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?Our district aligned with new math and literacy curriculums in the elementary schools starting in the fall. These provide a platform for consistency in our district; however, gaps have been identified and need attention. Essentially, basics in English/literacy are neglected in the curriculum. As a stakeholder, I would expect my district to teach fundamentals even if the curriculum writers exclude them. The lack of learning fundamentals in the English language is problematic for all our learners. I would return to teaching the basics such as phonics, grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and perhaps even diagramming sentences. I consider all of these subjects as the "bricks and mortar" of a sound education. As a school board, we monitor the curriculum and address parents' concerns. When gaps are identified, they require attention in the classroom. Since the board represents the community and is charged with managing their tax dollars wisely, I believe that we as a board should have a significant role in verifying that the curriculum is successfully preparing our students for the next grade level, and meeting the desires of parents.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?When the governing agencies modify our local revenue stream, we adapt. Currently, legislation to freeze property taxes for a period of two years is under discussion in the Illinois General Assembly. If legislation is passed, this action would have both a short and long term impact, as a majority of our revenue is from property taxes. As the administration has been preparing the budget in recent months, discussions are underway about other financial challenges ahead. For instance, deficit spending is anticipated starting in 2018 per the current Five Year Financial Plan and in addition, the Five Year Capital Project Plan highlights a budget overrun as well. The next board will immediately go to work to reverse these budget deficits. With projected overruns, the school board will work hand in hand with the administration and prioritize spending. The school board owes the due diligence to the community before requesting higher taxes or increased fees.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?The school board's focus is to ensure that the school district aligns with the wishes of the people that they serve. If school choice becomes a reality for Illinois, we will embrace it and go to the community for their comments and suggestions. For instance, school choice may provide an opportunity to address individualized needs of our students and parents. Historically, our district has no fear of upsetting the status quo. There are many options and unknowns with any school choice program; however, it may appeal to our families as long as it is accountable to them. I believe that introducing competition brings out the best in institutions and giving alternatives to families is a positive step for a quality education.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I value the partnership between the community, parents, teachers and school board to consistently deliver fundamental skills and content to all students in all schools. All students, no matter what their learning abilities, have the opportunity to learn and grow each year in our outstanding schools. I look forward to broadening discussions and weighing advantages and disadvantages of proposals before their initiation. We must be attentive to maintenance and improvement of our facilities and to establish long range facilities plans to set aside funds when needed. In closing, I chose District 41 to educate my children and strongly believe that every child in our District will be prepared for high school and beyond, if we focus on fundamental academic skills, partnering with parents and solid long range plans.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.American NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson broke the glass ceiling in space travel and commanding the ISS multiple times. She is a true hero in STEAM.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Good friends and neighbors are irreplaceable. For example, one fall, farming neighbors came in their combines to finish the harvest when my father was ill.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Traveling. First, I would travel where my ancestors lived in Europe, including Ireland, Scotland, England and Germany. And then travel across the U.S.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I took the class Organizational Theory and Behavior at DePauw. I learned how to be successful as a manager and the tools to project management.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be nice to everyone you meet.