Beata E. Swacha: 2025 candidate for Lake Park High School District 108 board

Bio

Office sought: Lake Park High School District 108 board (Vote for 4)

City: Roselle

Age: 45

Occupation: Chief financial officer

Previous offices held: District 108 board member since 2021; board president since May 2023

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I am running for reelection because I believe in the incredible potential of Lake Park High School. I joined the board of education just as the district was emerging from the pandemic. I’ve devoted the last four years of service to ensuring that our students have the opportunity to thrive regardless of their background or interests.

My passion is in creating an environment where students excel academically and also grow as a person. This requires championing a positive culture, fair policies and practices that support our students, families, faculty, staff and the broader community.

I am running again as I believe the work the board and the district have started is only the beginning of something amazing. Lake Park has achieved a lot and I am extraordinarily proud and excited about the direction we are headed. I want to continue building on our accomplishments, sustain the positive momentum, and strive for even greater future success.

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

The board’s overall role is to maintain a strategic focus while anticipating future needs and challenges. This includes ensuring that the curriculum aligns with the district’s vision, meets students’ needs, and adheres to state standards, all while offering a strong and well-rounded educational experience.

To accomplish this, the board closely collaborates with our expert faculty to identify topics of interest. The board’s involvement starts at the Curriculum Committee level where suggestions and recommendations for changes are reviewed, taking into account feedback from students and the community. Ultimately, the board approves new courses, instructional materials and curriculum frameworks. The school board stays engaged at every step to ensure that the curriculum is dynamic, relevant, and responsive to the changing needs of all our students.

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

In recent years, the district has introduced several initiatives focused on improving student achievement and meeting the unique needs of every student, all while relying on data and systematic, objective processes. These efforts include:

• cycles of inquiry to identify and address the root causes of classroom or learning challenges;

• a multitiered system of support to pinpoint and resolve student specific barriers to academic success;

• expansion of dual credit offerings to give students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school;

• implementation of the Acceleration Act which challenges students to take more rigorous course work;

• establishment of a process to document, review and align course content across all subjects and grade levels; and

• the launch of a new course structure that provides consistent, standards-aligned and challenging instructional experience.

These are significant efforts and are already making a positive impact on our students. The board must continue to support our dedicated staff and faculty in seeing these initiatives through so we, and most importantly our students, may realize their full potential.

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?

I view my role as one of leadership, not avoiding difficult issues, but instead providing a calm path forward. Confronting policy or curriculum controversies requires a willingness to listen to all perspectives, and the courage to make decisions that serve the long-term interests of our students, families, staff and community, even when those decisions are unpopular.

No one person is always right and differing opinions offer a valuable opportunity to learn something new about the issue. Healthy debate and consideration of alternative perspectives often highlights a challenge not previously considered, ultimately leading to a more informed and better decision for our school.

Addressing policy and curriculum controversies also demands transparency and open communication. While we may not always have all the information about a topic, it is essential to share what we know to help clarify and enlighten opposing viewpoints.

Ultimately, my responsibility is to be responsive to the community I represent and make the best decision possible for the entire district even when those decisions may not align with my personal views.

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

I have devoted 25 years of my career working with and for nonprofits, including supporting and serving on various committees and boards. That experience has helped to develop my ability to collaborate effectively in group settings to discuss difficult topics, drive consensus and determine policy. I am deeply committed to building relationships based on trust, fairness, and humility — values that are essential for fostering collaboration, consensus, and positive outcomes.

My leadership style is rooted in servant leadership, where I support others and create an environment that empowers them to do their best.

In group settings, I focus on active listening, encouraging all perspectives and ensuring everyone’s voice is heard. I believe in transparent communication, where differing viewpoints are openly shared and debated — a process which ultimately facilitates understanding and decision-making.

I recognize that it is not always possible for everyone to agree. However, the key is ensuring that even in the face of disagreement, there is an understanding of the rationale behind the final decision.

What is your assessment of the school district's diversity and equity efforts? Do you support the continuation or enhancement of such programs, or would you rather see them diminished. Please explain your reasoning.

Lake Park High School has long upheld the belief that all individuals are created equal, a foundational principle rooted in the values of our nation. Our commitment is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed academically, pursue their interests, engage in extracurricular activities, and feel a sense of belonging within our school.

This doesn’t mean that one should get what they want simply because of a demographic. However, it does mean that each person has the right to pursue their passions, be themselves, feel valued and be given a fair shot.

Everyone, at some point, has likely experienced feelings of exclusion or criticism. It is essential that we actively work to ensure our students feel welcome, valued, and inspired to reach their full potential, especially in this vulnerable time of their lives.

Some may attempt to frame efforts to support diversity and equity as a fad or something controversial. I believe that ensuring all students feel they belong and encouraging them to strive higher is not only a responsibility, but a moral obligation.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

My record speaks for itself. I have consistently focused on improving student experience, academic performance, and student involvement — all while maintaining fiscal responsibility. During my tenure, Lake Park’s Illinois Report Card score improved substantially — a testament to our collective efforts.

We’ve made significant investment in our facilities, renovating libraries, art rooms, the family and consumer science room, tennis courts, and the East Campus turf field with an exciting new blue football field at West Campus coming this summer. Remarkedly, all improvements were made without raising taxes. I encouraged introduction of lacrosse, girls wrestling, and am excited to support girls flag football for next school year.

I helped create a new strategic plan that prioritizes empowering our students for success. I was also part of the team that successfully renegotiated the faculty contract, supported reinstatement of the two principal model, and fostered meaningful collaboration within the district.

Lastly, I championed realigning the school calendar so that families with elementary or middle school children enjoy a full Thanksgiving week off.

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

The district is working on some big ideas and while this takes time and effort, the value they’ll bring in the long run is immense. However, it does require focus and dedication to ensure their success and I am extraordinarily proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far and the exciting work that’s underway.

The one initiative the community will hear more about soon is the facility planning process. Lake Park High School’s two campuses have been well-maintained over the years, but the evolving needs of students, technology advancements, as well as the natural wear and tear on the facilities require a proactive and comprehensive review. We need to ensure that our buildings continue to meet the demands of future generations of students.

Ideas of developing a swimming pool for our swim program or a field house for indoor sports have circulated within the community.

The facility planning process, which began last fall, aims to identify areas where our physical spaces do not support our instructional, athletic or extracurricular needs. It will identify these gaps, prioritize them through a community-driven process, and evaluate the fiscal commitment required to address them.