Jennifer Koenig, 4 years: 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: Lake BluffWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Rondout Elementary D72, 4-year termAge: 43Family: Married for ten years, two childrenOccupation: Vice President of Marketing for Stericycle, Inc, a Lake Forest-based companyEducation: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Communication from the University of Delaware, 1989Masters of Business Administration, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, 1994Civic involvement: PEORondout PTSA5 years of various volunteer service with the Montessori School of Lake ForestElected offices held: NoneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Continued commitment to Individualized Learning Plans for students with more focus on the educational basics which will increase standardized test performance for the district.Key Issue 2 Maintaining fiscal responsibility within the district so that tax increases will not be required.Key Issue 3 Increased communication among the school board, staff, parents and community to share key objectives for the school and progress against those objectives.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?Rondout's current approach to preparing students focuses on an individualized learning plan with emphasis on the well rounded development including both educational and social-emotional advancement. This approach has proven to progressively increase student performance. However, the opportunity still exists to improve standard test performance overall and strengthen specific areas of weakness.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?Rondout has routinely received a Financial Recognition rating from the state for the management of the districts budget. We need to continue the practice of fiscal responsibility and operating within the current tax base especially during this tough economic climate.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.When focusing on ndividualized learning plans and continuous development for students, the experience of the teachers in the school is important to the overall learning and development process as well as the transfer of knowledge as students progress. The teachers union is the current state, and we need to proactively and cooperatively work with the union for the benefit of the students and the Rondout communtiy.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 contract with the teachers union will need to be addressed for the 2012-2013 school year. The school board will assess the situation when discussions near.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?Our district is not presently in this situation.