John Anderson: 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: GurneeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Warren Township High School District 121 School Board Age: 63Family: Wife Georgia married 32 years4 Children, 3 Graduated from WTHS, Suzanne, John and Jenna. Betsy is my other daughter and she is a teacher in Wichita KS.Occupation: Sales Professional TPA Sales (President)Education: BA Psychology Drury University Springfield Mo.Civic involvement: School Board WTHS District 121 12 YearsElected offices held: Board president for 10 yearsQuestions 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?Improving Education has been my motivation and it continues to be my motivation. To accomplish this we have to manage our resources and constantly strive for improvement.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?I think our measurements today for student achievement are the best they have ever been. We are bench marking students with every test. Making changes during a semester to improve performance. Teachers work together to implement what is working and change what is not. Change Now, not in the future but now.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?A lot of the core curriculum is set by the state. We do of course fine tune the delivery and are constantly tweaking our coarse selection and design to improve performance. The number of AP and Honors level courses is increasing and challenging our students. Everyone teaches the core subjects, it is the delivery of education that matters. The Cubs won the world series because thy had a great team that is what we are striving for everyday.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?Warren D121 has a slowly declining enrollment which will reduce the amount of state aid which will require a reduction in the total number of teachers. The board and administration in conjunction with our union partners have been planning for this and we will continue to plan. Most of our issues besides the above revolve around the state and changes they may or may not make. Hopefully a tax increase will not be needed and fees can remain constant.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?Since we do not have voucher system it is difficult to determine what the impact will be as we do not have the exact formula that will be used and how it will be implemented. I am personal against a voucher system but if we get a voucher system we will deal with it when it comes.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Helping parents and community members understand what is going on in the district and how the school is funded and what a bargain we are getting in Gurnee. Find ways to help students that do not have family support. All studies show family support is big part of student success.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis, he seems to get that we should all except and celebrate our differences.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Integrity is the only thing no one can take from you. Guard it well.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Singing MusicWhat was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Choir as I learned to perform in front of others and have confidence. I am in sales.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Integrity is the only thing nobody can take from you. Guard it well. Doing the right thing may not be what is best for you.