District 70 candidates want to maintain high quality

For many years, election time has been quiet in District 70, with school board seats going uncontested.

This year, there are no defining issues, yet a bumper crop of 11 hopefuls, including three incumbents, are running for four seats.

A new superintendent was recently hired to replace retiring fixture Mark Friedman; finances are strong; teachers have a new long-term contract; and, students' academic performance is in the top 5 percent in Illinois.

In interviews and questionnaires, candidates were asked why they were running and what challenges they thought the district may be facing.

To some degree, all say it will be important to balance income and spending while maintaining and improving quality services. Their responses follow.

• Incumbent Laura Beltchenko has a long career in education and currently is assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Wauconda District 118. She has been on the District 70 board for 20 years. While far from poor, Beltchenko said the district needs to make sure it continues to receive the appropriate federal and state funding as promised funding for programs does not always come through.

Aging school buildings was another concern, she said. Improvements have been ongoing without the need for a voter-approved tax hike. The district needs an effective, long-range building and construction plan, she said.

• Anne Brandt is president of the Butterfield Family Association and works part time at the Libertyville Cooperative Nursery School. She says she has been active in school matters and that running for the board was the "next logical step."

She said that being fiscally responsible while maintaining quality education would be the greatest challenge. While currently sound, the district in coming years could face tough decisions regarding resources, staff, facilities and revenues, she said.

• Cathy Jackson retired last year after 30 years as a teacher, including 20 years as a guidance counselor at Adler Park School. She said she is familiar with that side of district operations, having negotiated three contracts and written grants. She said keeping the kids first has been her way of doing things.

"Now that I've retired, I'd like to continue that on the other end of the spectrum," she said. The challenge in District 70 is maintaining excellence in light of economic uncertainties.

She suggested the board undertake an assessment of the district's status, programs and concerns to include financial reports, state funding trend and predictions and grant opportunities. She also says the district needs to create a Top Ten action list to address any problems and outline creative means for improvement.

• Current President Inna Kerrigan has been on the board for 12 years and has a masters in education, guidance and counseling. She has been a consultant for 11 years to the Lake County regional office of education and cites her experience as a reason to continue on the board.

"I understand teaching and learning and can ask the right questions," she said. Incumbents, she contends, "know the questions to ask ... and we can ask them in a way the message comes across to the administration." She added that having four new board members as a new superintendent takes charge next year would be chaotic for the district.

The challenge is to communicate the vision and goals to a new and veteran employees. A self-described problem-solver, Kerrigan says she can foster an environment to promote "continuous improvement."

• Jennifer Lund is a former scientist who researched HIV. She became a stay-at-home mom after her son, now a third-grader, was born prematurely. She recently started a children's mural painting business.

She is a school volunteer, former vice president of the Rockland School Family Association and serves on the parent group that acts as a liaison between families and the district administration.

"I have a very specific insight into what parent concerns are and what teachers' concerns are," she said. She said her special needs son would not be in District 70 were it not for the tenacity of the District 70 staff, adding that she would be an advocate for special education.

She maintain academic excellence and ensuring a comprehensive curriculum are keys and says teachers need to be given opportunities to grow.

• Attorney Tim McGrory says his years of legal experience counseling school boards and working for a Fortune 100 company would make him a good addition to ensure the board uses sound judgment in overseeing finances. One goal is to have a blend of expertise on the board.

"They haven't done anything wrong. I just think I have a good skill set to bring."

The greatest challenge is to maintain and build on its success in a tough economic climate, he said.

"I want to make sure that the district has a strong balance sheet for years to come, so that we continue to offer curriculum enhancements, technology upgrades and all the other innovations that put our schools at the forefront of public education," he said.

• Commercial banker Thomas Milowski is involved with many civic and school activities. He says he has no problem with the current board but there is a need for fresh ideas. He ran as a write-in candidate two years ago.

He said understanding and forecasting future tax collections in light of declining real estate values is a critical issue as declines in home values and will affect District 70.

"The bottom line is that the district's administration and board should be forecasting a decline in tax receipts for 2010 and 2011 and adjusting expenditures appropriately," he said.

"I don't come with a special agenda. I'm a banker who wants to make sure the rainy day fund is not exhausted," he said.

The greatest challenge will be to meet parent expectations for class size, special programs, continued improvement in test scores and preparing students to enter high school and college, he said.

• Jason Newman owns a business that provides speech, behavioral therapy and other services to children. He says he wants to be part of the "next generation of parents" who can shape and define the school system.

"New ideas and initiatives are important," he says.

A priority is to maintain current programs in the most economical way possible. He suggests looking within the district to see which teachers are qualified to teach enhanced programs, such as foreign language, at lower grade levels. The district also needs to continuously evaluate its technology programs.

• Patrick Quenan is a stay-at-home dad who works part time with a real estate management company and is a former human resources consultant. He says he has a passion of the community and desire to make it better.

"Our greatest challenge may be assuming that what has worked for school boards in the past will work of school boards in the future," he said.

Finances will be a key for the district. He suggests establishing short- and long-term financial plans with detailed contingencies to address property values, tax levels and other scenarios to avoid financial surprises.

"Everyone wants to be part of a winning team. Can the current board rise to those challenges?" he asked. "We needed a school board that will bring new ideas themselves in order to manage in this very different financial environment."

Establishing specific goals related to 21st Century learning programs and evaluating curriculum needs, especially for grades 6, 7 and 8 are priorities, he said. "We've got to keep the strong teachers in our district," he said.

• Incumbent Joy Schwerman, a director of human resources, has been on the board since 1992. She says continuing to improve student achievement while working in collaboration with the new superintendent for a smooth transition is a key.

Continuing excellence in a tough economic time is a challenge, she says, but improving student achievement, especially through the 21st Century learning model, is a priority.

"Our most important resource to achieve this is our teachers through continued professional development and strong support by the board and administrators," she said.

She said the district is "very fortunate" in being in a sound financial situation. She noted the board and teachers union have worked together to provide a mutually beneficial contract.

• Attorney Tom Vickers says his top issue is to "honor the trust" the community places in the school board.

"This is the ultimate position of trust. To acknowledge that trust, I think there needs to be greater transparency."

He said the public shouldn't have to dig for information and vowed to make it more accessible.

The biggest challenge will be to maintain high quality with flat or declining revenues. The district should look to control costs in areas that won't impact student learning, he said.

"This requires an assessment of the entire enterprise to identify opportunities for efficiency and creative thinking to develop ways to exploit those opportunities."