Brooke Wozniak: Candidate Profile

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:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: LombardWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lombard Elementary D44Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: I have four children, three of whom currently attend District 44 schools.Occupation: Substitute teacherEducation: Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Psychology, Vanderbilt UniversityMaster of Science in Education, Early Childhood Education, University of PennsylvaniaCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Board of Education, Lombard District 44, 2007-presentHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I am currently serving on the Board and I do not have ""campaign issues"". The Board, however, has priorities. Our number 1 priority is to maintain our balanced budget. We are extremely fortunate, in this current economic climate, to have a balanced budget, but it is no coincidence. It is due to the dedication, leadership, hard work and fiscal responsibility of the administration and the Board. We have made substantial reductions in spending without reducing staff or the quality of our education. We must continue to be constantly aware of the long-term effects of our current financial decisions and we will continue to be conscientious, responsible fiscal stewards.Key Issue 2 Our number two priority is to continue to work in support of our district mission, which is ""to work in partnership with students, families, and community members to educate the ""whole child"" in order to achieve personal excellence"". Personally, I believe that children will learn and perform best when they are in learning environments that nurture their physical, social/emotional and cognitive needs. In order for ALL of these needs to be met, we must engage the participation of all shareholders...district staff and administration, Board of Education, families and community partners. We will continue to reach out and connect with our shareholders in our willingness to change, grow and improve on behalf of our students.Key Issue 3 Our number 3 priority is to continue on our path of continuous improvement. We will continue to seek improvement in curriculum and our delivery of services. We will continue to hire highly qualified staff. We will continue to seek innovative methods of education. The area of technology is of particular interest as it is becoming more and more integral in our everyday world. Consequently, it is more and more integral in educating our children. The innovations and implications of technology in education are rapidly developing and are extremely exciting for all levels of learners. We will continue to integrate them into our curriculum. As we proceed on our continuous improvement journey, our focus is on our stretch goal of being the highest performing district in DuPage County. Questions Answers How satisfied are you that your district is preparing students for the next stage in their lives, whether it be from elementary into high school or high school into college or full-time employment? What changes, if any, do you think need to be made?I am very satisfied that we are preparing our students for future success in all areas of their lives. That is our district vision...""to prepare each student for a successful future"". As stated above, we believe in continuous improvement. We also believe that every student can learn, so we go to great lengths to provide high quality services to all of our students. We focus on the academic, social/emotional and physical needs of our students while also keeping up with the current educational trends. We are preparing them to be productive members of their community.What budget issues will the district have to confront? What measures do you support to address them? If cuts are needed, be specific about programs and expenses that should be reduced or eliminated. Do you support any tax increases for local schools?Currently we have a balanced budget. We have worked very hard to trim our expenses without compromising the education of our students. In the current economic climate, it will definitely be challenging to maintain this balanced budget. If cuts are needed, it is impossible to predict which programs or expenses would be reduced or eliminated. We closely watch our budget while striving to maintain the integrity of our delivery of services to our students. We use our financial projections to guide us in our decision making. Our school district is a growing, changing entity and if cuts needed to be made, we would have to evaluate our situation at that time.At the present time, no tax increases are necessary.Is experience as a teacher or support from a union valuable because it suggests educational insights or detrimental because it creates pro-teacher bias? Please clarify whether you have such experience or would accept union support.I am a certified, experienced teacher and I believe that my experience as a teacher absolutely provides me with educational insights, which is an asset at any school board table. It does not create pro-teacher bias, it creates greater understanding. I believe that our Board should be representive of our community and that each of us should bring our unique talents and experiences to the table. I am honored to bring both the teacher and parent perspective to our table.As contract talks come up with various employee groups, what posture should the board take? Do you believe the district should ask for concessions, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?The Board highly values our employee groups. One way that we communicate this is through compensation. Currently, the reality is that we are in tough economic times. We are also in the fortunate position of having a balanced budget. The Board should take both of these things into consideration, along with our district staffing projections, and make the most fiscally responsible decisions.If your district had a superintendent or other administrator nearing retirement, would you support a substantial increase in his or her pay to help boost pension benefits? Why or why not?No. It is not ethical. Illinois law has placed a 6% cap on salary increases for teachers and administrators. The administrator's pay increase would be reflective of his or her evaluation, not to exceed the 6%.