Donna Smith: 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: Hanover ParkWebsite: donnasmith4U46.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Elgin-Area Unit 46 School Board Age: 59Family: HusbandChildren, 33, 28, and 23 years oldOccupation: Candidate did not respond.Education: Candidate did not respond.Civic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: U-46 Board of Education 2001-PresentQuestions Answers With ongoing state funding challenges, suggest ways the district can remain in the black without spending down its surplus, raising taxes or taking on additional debt. If cuts were needed, where would you look to tighten?We need to continue to be conservative in estimating our revenues, and continually monitor our expenses to keep them within budget. In previous years we have adjusted our expenses to keep our budget balanced. We have done this by delaying purchases of buses, technology, building improvements, or other expenses that may not be immediately necessary. If cuts are needed for the following year we would have to look to see where there may be room to tighten. We have always tried to keep cuts as far away from the classroom as we can, however, that has become very difficult in recent years. After looking at the areas I mentioned above, with 70% of our budget being people, we would have to look at programs and class size as our only relief.Recent controversy over transgender access has prompted discussion about equal rights/protections for all students, as well as whether school board members should inject their personal religious/political views on the matter. To what extent should the board have a role in formulating such policy?The board governs by policy. It is the Board's responsibility to create policies that drive the day-to-day work of the Superintendent and his/her staff. The Board of Education approves the policy and the Superintendent and his/her staff generate procedures for matters that arise relating to that policy. That being said, policies must include any legal requirements and should not be written so specifically that the policy itself takes the ability away from the administration to research and make decisions on each individual issue as it arises.Would you support U-46 having a charter school within its boundaries? Why or why not?We have had 3 charter proposals come to us in my time on the Board. I have always considered each charter on it's own merits. As with any proposal, I will evaluate the proposal as to how or if it benefits our students and the district overall. A few concerns that I have had in the past have been: *That all students could be considered and served by the charter. *Accountability for student success *The financial affects on the district as a whole and the financial stability of the charter itselfWhat are some innovative programs the district could undertake, such as special academies or career path programs, to set itself apart?We do and always have had innovative programs and monitor them on a regular basis. Some examples would be our High School Academies, Center House for our students with special needs, our Dream Academy, Dual Language at elementary and middle school, Full Day Kindergarten and more. We continue to look for more ways to meet the needs of students in all areas. Right now we are looking at our Career Tech Ed programs for the purpose of creating additional career pathways. I believe what does set U-46 apart is the many unique opportunities that our students have available to them.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 Board of Education can encourage the creation of opportunities for students at all levels to be able to attend focused programs in specific areas of interest and learning, much like our High School Academies. It is hard to predict what effect vouchers or broader school choices would have until we had the details, however, I believe it would affect us financially and we may not be able to provide our students with the opportunities that we are able to provide now. I believe the appropriate response for the Board would be to work with legislators and the community to insure that EVERY student would still have access to a quality Public Education.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I have and will continue to focus my efforts on providing the best education we can for ALL students. We encounter many issues as we move forward. Our focus should stay on how we best serve all students when resolving these issues. Both our students and the community will benefit as long as we keep our sights on every student's success.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Candidate did not respond.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The biggest lesson I learned was to put family first and always appreciate them.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math, it taught me how to problem solve by process which helps me everyday to problem solve in areas even not related to numbers.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Evaluate yourself often and make sure you are the person you want to be.