William Wilson: 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: GenevaWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Geneva Unit District 304 School Board Age: 56Family: Married to Connie Wilson, four children, Lindsay, Elizabeth, Evan and SophiaOccupation: Project ManagerEducation: Geneva Community High School 1978BSCE University of IowaMS Structural Engineering - University of IllinoisCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Geneva CUSD 304 Board of Education November 2001 - Present (16 years)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 have lived in Geneva almost my entire life and am a product of the Geneva school system. Sixteen years ago, I set out to give something back to the community that provided me with the skills and knowledge that I have used to become a successful business person and a contributing member of this community. During my tenure I have both agreed and disagreed with ideas put forward by School Administration, and have collaborated with many different Board Members to move ideas forward that have been very good for the stakeholders and all importantly, the children of Community School District #304. I believe that voter's should re-elect me to the School Board because of my knowledge and experiences as a Board Member and a long time Geneva resident.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?Geneva Schools use a number of methods for measuring our student success and do not rely solely on state mandated testing requirements. With each form of assessment, we are able to accurately determine the needs of each student which enables classroom teachers to work with the student in the ways that allow the student to grow and master the concepts our curriculum is seeking to achieve.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 Board of Education, through our professional staff, is constantly monitoring our programs for ways to better educate our children. All programs, whether for the mainstream, special needs or accelerated child are reviewed on a regular basis to make sure that we continue to meet the needs of all our students, and to ensure that our students are all capable of achieving their dreams after graduation.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?Current outside issues potentially impacting funding for our district include; State legislation (ie. teacher pension shift, property tax freezes, uncertainty in the school funding formula), and loss of local funds resulting from TIF implementations by the City. The school district has been proactive over the last several years in maintaining reasonable reserves to cover funding uncertainties, but as actions outside of our control are implemented, our balances are threatened. We will need to keep spending at sustainable levels so that current residents can afford their annual tax payments but at the same time allow the school district to maintain good educational programs to prepare our students for a future in an ever changing world. Our current long term financial projections, which include the impact of many of the above items, indicate that there should be no need for a tax increase in the next four years.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?In Geneva, our goal is to work with each student to assist them in achieving their goals and to meet or exceed expectations. We believe that our curriculum is outstanding and that is why people want to move to Geneva. Should the State or Federal Governments enact changes to the current system, we would need to evaluate that legislation and determine what impact, if any, our district would face as a result of the changes.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Candidate did not respond.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Always be honest and tell the truthIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would not change a thing, if changing any one thing in my life would not allow me to be where I am at today.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Candidate did not respond.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?The same thing that my parents taught me, "always be honest and tell the truth."