Joann Braam: 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: Des PlainesWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Maine Township H.S. D207Age: 56Family: Married, three daughtersOccupation: Adjunct professor, Psychology, Oakton Community College; Adjunct instructor, ITT-Technical Institute, Mount ProspectEducation: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Lewis Univeristy, 1976Master of Arts in Social Science, University of Chicago. 1977Civic involvement: Director, Parents Board of Directors, Bradley University, Peoria (2009-present)Previous: Junior Great Books volunteer, District 62; member of Consumer Protection Agency, City of Des PlainesElected offices held: Board member, Maine Township 207, two terms beginning in 2003.Board member, Des Plaines Elementary School District 62, one term (1999-2003)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Improved student learning is my priority. I believe that every young person can learn and achieve great things. It#146;s my job as a board member to make sure we give students what they need most to achieve their goals: a safe environment, comprehensive curriculum and superior teachers. I believe the district should hire the best teachers, and provide the professional development they need to be at the top of their game.Key Issue 2 The Board of Education must continue to focus on the fiscal health of the district. Last year, the board approved a plan to reduce expenditures by almost $15 million. This year, we face a projected $4 million budget deficit. The district still maintains healthy fund balances, but these balances have been declining. To address these financial realities, the board will need to further reduce expenditures and find new sources of revenue. We must follow up on our plan to develop a fund balance policy. The decisions are difficult, but they must be made to protect the long term interests of the district.Key Issue 3 We need to strengthen our relationships in our school district. Good things happen when we work together. 1) We need to step up our communication and collaboration with the elementary school districts within Maine Township. In recent years, dozens of District 207 students tutored students in the elementary districts during the summer months. That program has been very successful. We should build on this. 2) To connect with citizens, we#146;ve convened an advisory committee comprised of concerned citizens in communities throughout our district. The advisory committee serves two purposes. Members of the group share their ideas and concerns with Superintendent Ken Wallace. And Mr. Wallace, in turn, listens and provides updates on student achievement, financial matters and other issues facing the district. Additional outreach efforts should be considered. 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?The educational program at Maine Township high schools is highly regarded in Illinois and throughout the country. Our students consistently perform at levels well above the national and state norms on the ACT exam. Our students excel in Advanced Placement testing, and achieve high marks in other academic, career-related, fine arts and athletic programs.But there#146;s so much more to do. We must work smarter at helping ALL of our students succeed. Too many of our students cannot not read at grade level or do math at grade level. And too many of our graduates are not prepared for the rigors of college or the challenging world of work. More than anything, we must focus on improving our teaching. In recent years, we#146;ve embraced a teacher leadership model at our three high schools. The idea is that we rely on our best teachers to share their knowledge, expertise, and skills with new teachers. This has shown to be effective. Also important is accelerating the professional development opportunities for teachers in areas that we know work inside our classrooms: cooperative learning, problem-based learning, differentiated instruction and integrating technology to support instruction. Finally, we must get better at using student achievement data in order to respond accurately and quickly to students#146; individual needs.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?I do not support a referendum to raise taxes. Instead, I favor addressing the financial issues by cutting expenses and bringing in new sources of revenue. The 2010-11 budget reflects a projected deficit of $4 million. I believe that we should always have enough cash on hand so that we do not have to borrow money to meet payroll. Our board directed the administration to look everywhere in the budget for potential savings. Recently, the board revised policy in order to capture new revenue through advertising opportunities on the three campuses. The board also approved a higher activity fee for students and took steps to become a #147;greener#148; more energy efficient district. Later this year, we intend to adopt a fund balance policy.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.My experience as a teacher has helped me better understand the educational process. I know what it means to prepare lessons, grade papers, and guide learning. In addition, I have first-hand knowledge of some of the challenges students and teachers face in the classroom. I believe that board members must adhere to the code of ethics for board members, which makes clear that school board members#146; first and greatest concern is the educational welfare of the students and that they must never surrender independent judgment to teacher unions or other special interest groups. I respect the code of ethics, and pledge to always make decisions based on all the available facts and my independent judgment.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 should commit to honest and fair collective bargaining. With the economic downturn, there#146;s a new reality that all of us must accept. The board must plan prudently for the future and vigilant about its responsibility to do what is in the best interest of all stakeholders. 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 superintendent and assistant superintendents are not retiring soon. Nevertheless, I would not support the practice of giving a substantial increase in pay to boost pension benefits.