Nicole Pavoris: 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: CaryWebsite: www.electpavoris.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Crystal Lake High School District 155 School Board Age: 46Family: Married with 3 children. I have a junior at Prairie Ridge HS, a 6th grader at Hannah Beardsley MS, and a 3rd grader at Canterbury Elementary.Occupation: Social Studies TeacherEducation: Marquette University / Bachelor of Arts (1993) Major: Political Science, Minor: EconomicsNational-Louis University / Master of Arts in Teaching (2002)Civic involvement: I volunteer at my children's schools and sporting activities. I support the schools in the community in a variety of ways including fundraising.I am active in my church, where I teach Sunday School and coordinate a portion of Summer Bible Camp.Previously, I was a volunteer coach for a Cary Soccer Association U8 Girls team.In 2013, I completed the Leadership Greater McHenry County (LGMC)Program. This program gives participants deeper insights into the workings of county government, education, and economic organizations. Their mission is "to educate and inspire professionals to engage in community leadership"Elected 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?I am running for the D155 School Board of Education because I want to help ensure that the district has programs that reach all of the diverse learning styles present in the D155 students. This means broadening the scope of courses offered at our schools and giving students the opportunity to take courses that may help direct them towards a career.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?Learning is not standardized. All students learn differently. Yet all of the measurements that the district and state use to determine student success are based on standardized testing results. As a classroom teacher, I know that assessments designed by teachers for their own students are a much truer measurement of student learning and success. Therefore, the district should consider using a more blended approach between state standardized tests and classroom achievement as their measurement tools.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 role the Board of Education plays in setting the curriculum should be that of a collaborative partner with the teachers. The Board needs to work with teachers to find out what programs and/or policies they believe will best meet the needs of their student population. Opportunities for enhancing curriculum exist in improving and adding more skills-based classes. For example, these career path training classes may include more auto classes, culinary classes, and a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. Programs such as these, can be achieved by fostering the dual-credit program between the D155 schools and MCC or building upon the Manufacturing Advisory Board relationship to offer more hands-on internships in the community.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 biggest budget issue will be continuing to provide quality education to every student amid rising costs and declining enrollment.That being said, I believe if the Board works with the administration to find creative funding vehicles or to seek out best practices in other communities, solutions will can be found.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?If a voucher system is implemented, D155 and the Board of Education would need to showcase the incredible educational opportunities that exist in our district and make it a place where others want to learn.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Other important issues to me are the following:1. Creation of a student advisory board - it would engage students in the process, give the Board of Education a firsthand voice into the schools, and increase the leadership skills of those involved.2. Collaboration - more teamwork between all district stakeholders will make our schools, thus our community stronger.3. Changes in the grading policy.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Marcy Piekos, Executive Director of LGMC inspires me. She is a true visionary whose passion for cultivating leadership in others is overflowing.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The biggest lesson that my parents taught me was do what's right.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?If I could do one thing over in my life, it would be that I would have studied abroad while in college.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject in school was US History. I have been teaching US History and Economics at Larkin High School in Elgin for 15 years.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Work hard. Hard work gets you farther than talent, intelligence, or privilege. The quote's true: "Only place success comes before work is in the dictionary."