William McGrail: Candidate Profile

Back to Batavia Unit District 101 School Board

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: BataviaWebsite: www.facebook.com/billmcgrailforschoolboard101Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Batavia Unit District 101 School Board Age: 37Family: Jessica McGrail (wife)Olivia McGrail (daughter)William McGrail, IV (son)Occupation: Producer/Media Director - Illinois Mathematics and Science AcademyEducation: BA - Corporate Professional Communication - Aurora UniversityCivic involvement: Volunteer for various Batavia Events including:Batavia Windmill FestivalBatavia OktoberfestBatavia Community DinnerBlues Fest - Water Street StudiosElected 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 have decided to run for a seat on the Batavia District 101 School Board because my family and I love our community and I have been looking for ways to get more involved and give back to Batavia. My two young children will be entering District 101 in the next few years, so I feel that this gives me the full perspective of pre-K through 12. Also, I have spent the majority of my professional life working in an educational environment and feel that I can play an effective role in governing our schools. The school board, on the local government level, seems like a good place to not only give back to the community, but also provide a civic duty, and hopefully make a lasting, positive impact for our community, and most importantly current and future generations of Batavia students.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 personally believe in the mission and vision of District 101. This is a major reason why I'd like the opportunity to represent our district with a seat on the Board of Education. Our schools are strong and the data proves that our students are above the State averages in nearly every category. I would love the chance to continue to learn and grow with the district and help guide policy and vision where and when needed for the best possible outcomes for current and future generations of Batavia students.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?I believe the Board of Education's role should be to engage in meaningful discussions regarding proposed changes to curriculum. The creation of new curriculum and the execution of Board approved changes should be delegated to the competent staff that the district employs and entrusts as the subject matter experts. I believe having the School Board actively mettle in the creation of curriculum completely undermines the faculty and staff that are hired to do this work.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?District 101 will likely be facing a deficit in the coming years. A State proposed property tax freeze will not help the situation get any better. I would rather look for solutions to secure additional funding through other revenue streams before proposing any cuts. I believe that what sets our district apart as one of the better in the area could quickly vanish if we look to cuts as the answer without exploring all other possibilities first. Once programs or staff are eliminated, they will be extremely difficult to return in the future. There will be challenges ahead and a major part of the school board's role will be to be actively involved with the community to come up with solutions that allow our schools to remain properly funded without taxes going rampant. District 101's mission is Always Learning. Always Growing. and it is difficult to grow with out proper funding.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?I believe choice should happen when you decide to move and/or settle into a community. One of the key reasons my wife and I chose Batavia for our family was for the reputation of the school district. I understand that not every family has the ability or luxury to pick and choose given their situation, but for our particular district, I do not see the value of the voucher system. I believe this only has the potential to impact our district negatively by taking funding away from the district and placing at the hands of the families to choose where they would like to send their children.Other potential negative impacts that can arise are more overcrowding at the "good" schools, and the potential for "bad" schools to be completely underfunded and/or closed.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Mental health, suicide prevention, anti- cyber bullying, drug prevention...doing our best to keep our schools a safe environment for learning and growing.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.My wife! She is highly active in our community, a board member of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce and owner of her company!What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Being responsible not only for yourself, but for the well being of those around you.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I'd save it for later since mistakes are what we learn from and make us what we are today.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?The communications courses that I majored in in college, which have helped me to become a better oral communicator and an active listenerIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Go for it, whatever it is!