Kelly Henry: 2023 Candidate for Elmhurst Unit District 205 School Board

Bio

Town: Elmhurst

Age on Election Day: 39

Occupation: Physician

Employer: Loyola University Medical Center

Previous offices held: none

Q&A

Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

A: I have witnessed how the physical and mental health of children directly impacts their well-being and academic success. I advocate for children daily, both as a pediatrician and a mother. Our children deserve the best public education. I am committed to keeping our students at the center of my decisions on the board of education.

In my professional role, I have seen an increasing number of children at the hospital for treatment of mental health crises. This is likely related to the pandemic and the fear of gun violence in our schools and communities. Our district needs to further invest in mental health resources and staff so our children can thrive in the classroom. As a mother, I want my children to be safe. As a gun safety advocate, I volunteer in the community to build awareness on the importance of firearm secure storage to prevent a child's access to guns. Our children and faculty deserve to feel safe in their classrooms so they can continue their focus on academic growth.

Q: What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring curriculum?

A: We should be clear that the D205 Board of Education does not set curriculum. The curriculum is developed by curriculum specialists in the district who present the curriculum to the board for approval. However, as a member of the board, I will advocate for curriculum that represents the needs of ALL our students. I support consistent curriculum and equitable resources across our district schools. For curriculum to be implemented effectively, it will be my priority that each school's faculty has the resources for professional training and instructional coaching required to meet our academic goals.

Once implemented and given time to produce results, it is the responsibility of the school board, in collaboration with the administration, to monitor and determine its effectiveness and adjust the curriculum as needed. Establishing a plan to regularly analyze student data and adjust or seek interventions is critical to support each student's needs and nurture their continued academic growth.

Q: Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board?

A: Our district has begun to make positive changes in curriculum over this past year. We have seen improvements with implementation of our new elementary ELA curriculum. From my experience, I have seen exponential growth in my children's ability to read and write this school year.

Although we have more work to do regarding our math curriculum, this process has already begun across all grades along with a detailed review of the 6th-12th curricular instruction. I am committed to seeing this process through as a board member. With data analysis and collaboration with faculty, we can work together to support each of our student's growth and achieve successful learning outcomes.

Our district must continue to cultivate a well-rounded experience for each of our students. We want our students to develop critical thinking skills, empathy, understanding others' perspectives, and self-awareness. These skills will lead our students to even greater personal success as they enter the world.

Q: How do you view your role in confronting policy or curriculum controversies: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities?

A: Qualities of an effective board of education member include being approachable, responsive, open-minded, and possessing active listening skills. As a board of education member, I want everyone in the community to feel welcome to share their ideas and concerns. Our district also has highly educated administrators and faculty that specialize in curriculum and understand how best to educate our students successfully. Board members should work directly with the district faculty and our community to learn others' perspectives and work together to arrive at solutions. If there is a curriculum disagreement, it is important to review data and the effectiveness of the curriculum that is in question. In the end, my focus will always be on the "whole student" and continuing to move our district in a positive direction that benefits and represents each of our individualized student's learning, development, and growth.

Q: Concerns are growing regarding a new resurgence of the pandemic. If another massive outbreak of infectious disease occurs, what have we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that will guide your decision making?

A: The greatest lesson we learned from the pandemic is that in-person learning is critical to a child's successful education and that schools can remain open and operate safely with appropriate health and safety guidelines. Evidence indicates students that learn in person are more likely to thrive and grow academically and emotionally. If another outbreak were to occur, I am confident our school district will do whatever it can to remain open and keep our children in the classroom. During the process, we must always rely on medical experts and science to safely guide our district's decisions to ensure the health and safety of our students, teachers, and faculty.

Lastly, research has shown that vaccines have proven to be effective at preventing illness, lessening its severity, and preventing death. Vaccines along with handwashing practices can promote healthy habits to keep our children in the classroom benefiting from in-person learning.

Q: Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach agreement and manage school district policy? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions of your school board.

A: In my professional clinical experience, I am involved in patient quality and safety committees that determine hospital policy. Outside of my professional role, I am dedicated to national medical advocacy work aimed at reducing gun violence through public health strategies and policies. Through these experiences, I have learned to appreciate the importance of collaboration in setting or changing policy to produce successful results. Each person in these meetings contributes different ideas and strategies based on their professional and personal experience. This collaborative and respectful process creates better policy for everyone.

As a board member, I will continue to cultivate a space that promotes cooperation, thoughtfulness, and appreciation for other perspectives. Each board member and administrator provide a valued and unique background and viewpoint. We all share the common goal of advocating for our students' best interest and together we can improve learning outcomes.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: With my experience as a pediatrician, a professor, and an injury prevention advocate, I believe I possess a unique set of skills to serve on the board of education. My critical thinking skills, ability to manage complex and challenging situations, and effective communication will be essential to my work on the board of education.

I am committed and dedicated to lifelong learning, and compassionate about advocating for the success of all our children every day. I will represent and advocate for all our children to ensure they each have the unique tools, interventions, and resources needed for academic success. The primary goal should always be to continuously improve our district by evaluating curriculum with data-driven decisions and supporting the equitable distribution of resources across each of our schools.

My background also makes me uniquely qualified to advocate for the health and safety of our children and faculty which is critical to academic success.

Q: What's one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet?

A: I wish to place a stronger emphasis on exploring the causes of chronic absenteeism and developing strategies to improve school attendance. Our district has seen an increased number of missed school days across all demographics and grades. Low income students, those with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities are experiencing higher rates in District 205.

Mental health, safety, chronic illness, family, and social factors all play a role in keeping our children out of school. Data shows that daily attendance improves long term academic success and healthy behaviors into adulthood. We need to identify chronic absenteeism early, provide targeted school-based interventions, and collaborate with families to determine how our district can support students with necessary resources. The role of the board of education should always be to guide and monitor the education of our children and provide the tools needed for academic and life-long success.