Elizabeth Dietz: 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: Long GroveWebsite: http://www.district96electus.comOffice sought: Kildeer-Countryside Elementary D96Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: two children currently in the District 96 schoolsOccupation: current owner property management companyEducation: degreed in Elementary EducationCivic involvement: Current School Board Member Kildeer Community Consolidated District 96The following District 96 Committees:- School Board Policy Committee- Parent Review Committee (4 years)- Stevenson High School Consortium- Parent Representative - Standards Based Reporting Committee- New Superintendent Interview Team- Search Conference and Search Conference Steering Committees- Consortium for Educational Change System Assessment ProcessBriarcrest Homeowner's Association Board of Directorsformer Treasurer of the Lincolnshire Community Nursery School BoardElected offices held: District 96 Board appointment - selected unanimously by the board from a field of eleven candidates to fulfill the term of a retiring board memberBriarcrest Homeowners Association BoardLincolnshire Community Nursery School BoardHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Maintain the high standards District 96 has achieved and contribute toward the further development of our premier district while being mindful of the financial constraints of the communityKey Issue 2 Facilitate communications between the Board/School District and the communities we serveKey Issue 3 Prepare our students for the challenges of the 21st CenturyQuestions 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?Our district is recognized as one of the premier districts in all of Illinois. Our students are given the foundation required to prepare them for success in high school and beyond. Of all the feeder schools into Stevenson High School, our students rank among the highest as measured by class and college placement. We need to continue to closely monitor our students' successes at Stevenson High School and beyond. We need to be aware of and implement any changes required to prepare our students to meet the challenges they will face in the 21st Century.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?Our role on the board is to be good stewards of the finances and budget for the district. Significantly, District 96 has one of the lowest cost per student ratios among the top rated schools in the state. I do not see any significant budget issues at this time. I anticipate any changes in the form of future potential cuts or tax increases would be in response to changes in our student population, changes mandated by legislation or expenditures (i.e. technology) to keep our students competitive.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.Depending upon the individual, it could be beneficial or detrimental. Hopefully, the individual involved would be able to provide a balanced view. I am degreed in Elementary Education and taught in elementary schools for many years. As a board member, I am able to draw on my years in the classroom and as a parent to understand the impact of our decisions on teachers and parents.I bring to the board my overall life experiences and diverse background in many of the areas of influence for a school district, including teaching at the elementary level, management for a major educational textbook publisher, small business/entrepreneur, membership on several non-profit boards of directors and finally as a parent. As such, I am able to represent the major constituent groups of the district. This is also one of the reasons I have been selected for many of the District 96 committees.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?One of my strengths in business has been negotiations. I believe it is our fiscal responsibility to balance the needs of the employees with the needs of the district through honest negotiations. The board has developed a very good relationship with their employees and employee groups based upon mutual respect and fair negotiations. Our goal is to hire and retain the best employees to meet the needs of our students and programs. Our reputation as a premier district has enabled the board to maintain a highly experienced and educated staff within our budget.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?This is not applicable in our district at this time since this is the first year for our superintendent. Her salary is based upon her performance and experience. We are very pleased with how quickly she has taken over the reigns of the district and how she is moving the district forward. Should we be faced with this situation in the future, I would not support a substantial increase in pay to help boost pension benefits for anyone. Salary and benefits should be based upon performance, experience and contribution to the district.