Sharon M. Lynch: 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: Des Plaines Elementary D62Age: 49Family: SingleOccupation: RealtorEducation: BA History Marquette University 1985Civic involvement: Board of Education District 62 2005-2011Rotary Club of Des Plaines - Board Member, Past PresidentBoard Member at the Des Plaines Community Senior Center - Past PresidentDes Plaines Chamber of Commerce - Board Member 2002-2010- Member 2002-2011Numerous committees in the non-profit sector Elected offices held: Board of Education - District 62Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Continuing to offer children in our community the best education possible, with the resources provided, during an economically challenging time.Key Issue 2 Making sure that our children have the skill sets they need to become productive adults and life long learners.Key Issue 3 Planning for the District's future. Making sure that we are prepared financially and staffed accordingly.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?We are in the process of our Master Plan. We worked with the community to assess their perceived needs for their children and we are working to fulfill those needs. We are adding on and physically improving our schools to keep us at the leading edge of education. We are a very diverse community and we work hard to meet the needs of all our children. While we strive for continual improvement, I think that we as a Board, Administration and Staff do a very good job of preparing our children for high school.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 all Districts we will be faced with cuts from the Federal and State governments. Fortunately we successfully passed a referendum a few years ago. We also have TIF monies that become available on occasion. We have gone through cost containment measures in the past where we had to cut programs and staff. We would do it again if necessary. We continue to be diligent stewards of our District's finances so that we don't have to go through that painful experience again.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 not a teacher. I would hope that teachers and the teacher's union would support Board members and the District. How is being a teacher on a school board any different than being a parent with children in the District and sitting on the Board? Either way it's hard not to have an agenda.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?I know that many people have taken wage and benefit reductions in the past years just to stay employeed. It's clear that many people are out of work.Since I am self employed, I choose not sit on the team for contract negotiations. I believe that in these financially challenging times we as a Board have a right to ask for concessions and employee costs to stay about the same. Our unions have worked with us in the past during cost containment and I think they would again.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?I do not support a substantial increase in pay to boost retirement benefits. We are a Board that focuses on paying our Administration fairly based on performance and current market data.