Leslie N. Juby: 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: GenevaWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Geneva Unit D304Age: 49Family: Married, two teenage daughtersOccupation: Substitute teacherEducation: Bachelor of Arts, Language and Literature, Governors State University, 1983Civic involvement: Geneva Board of EducationGeneva Beautification CommitteeHistoric Homeowners AssociationGeneva History CenterPTOElected offices held: Board Member, Geneva CUSD 304 Board of Education, 2007-2011Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 One of the most important issues facing our school district is assessing the current financial climate while continuing to deliver a quality education to all students. With the decline in property values, the inability of the state to fund its educational obligations, and the impending sunset of many of the federal ARRA dollars, school districts across Illinois are re-evaluating and prioritizing the programs they deliver. While budgetary cuts have been a priority, Geneva will need to continue to look at all expenditures for areas to consolidate and/or eliminate without compromising its tradition of excellence in education.Key Issue 2 Another important issue the district will face is driven by the two-fold educational reforms being discussed in Springfield. Not only will these reforms influence the development of mandated core learning standards, they will also affect how districts will determine teacher effectiveness and student growth. Although these changes will be phased in over time, planning will need to begin immediately to ensure that the district is prepared to meet the timeline.Key Issue 3 See number 2Questions 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 Geneva School District does an excellent job preparing its students for success after high school while working within the parameters of state mandates. We have an extremely high graduation rate (2009: 98.6 vs. 88.7 statewide) and above average ACT scores (23.7 compared to state average of 19.9). We partner with the Fox Valley Career Center, offering hands on technical and career training to students. We continue to identify and revise areas within the curriculum that need improvement while measuring costs against results.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?Like any municipality, the school district is facing lower revenues from local, state, and federal sources. We will need to be diligent in the review of the 2011-2012 budget, prioritizing and evaluating costs in relation to student achievement. Furthermore, we need to continue to monitor long-term debt rates and restructure when cost savings can be realized.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.The ultimate goal of any school board member should be the balance of a quality education and success for all students with taxpayer dollars. As the Board can only act as a whole at scheduled board meetings, any experience individuals bring to the table enriches discussion and decisions. I have found my classroom experience an invaluable asset that affords me a quick understanding of the delivery of education, the limitations imposed by state mandates, and the challenges faced by today#146;s teachers. I am currently neither a member of the IEA nor IFT/AFT.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?As a seated Board member, I am not at liberty to discuss personnel issues.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?As a seated Board member, I am not at liberty to discuss personnel issues.