Debra L. McAtee: 2025 candidate for Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 board

Bio

Office sought: Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 board (Vote for 4)

City: Wheeling

Age: 61

Occupation: Retired

Previous offices held: Wheeling Township District 21 board member since 2012

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

I am running for reelection. I have long been an advocate of public education. I believe that all children, regardless of socioeconomic status deserve the very best education available.

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

School boards set district policy and direct curriculum through that. Several times each year we receive updates from the staff as to how testing results are being affected by the curriculum that was chosen, but it is staff (aka educational professionals) that decide on the specific method of knowledge transmission.

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

Post COVID, all students are still lagging. It is a combination of many students not learning well via e-learning and the high absence rates that we have been seeing; if students are not in the classroom they cannot learn.

We have directed our superintendent to work on returning students to classrooms and reduce the truancy rate. We have also been working on new math and reading curriculums that we are hopeful will make a marked improvement.

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?

Having served during COVID, I have been involved in policy issues that were not popular; both closing schools and reopening them and wasn't always on the popular side.

I will advocate to do what is best for the community as a whole, not simply for the loud, vocal few. When I have disagreed with state/federal authorities, I have written and/or spoken to them to voice my displeasure with stances.

If it is a constituent with whom I disagree, I will listen and acknowledge their side and work to see if there is a way in which we can compromise.

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 am the current chair of the policy committee and have served on this committee since I was first appointed to the board. My style would best be described as collaborative. I am always open to hearing the other side of an argument and working together to come to a resolution.

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

I am a very strong proponent of DEI. I believe that everyone benefits from being surrounded by persons of varying backgrounds, but that children especially, need to be able to see others that “look” like them so that they can see role models for their future.

Our district speaks over 70 different languages at home and this is the way that the world is so getting our children acclimated to a society such as this is beneficial.

I would like to see more teachers and staff of color and ethnic backgrounds, but with a limited pool of candidates to choose from, this has proven difficult.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I believe that I provide a distinctive point of view. Many believe that school boards should be made up of parents of children in the district, however only a small portion of the voting public actually currently have children attending our schools.

We need to have a variety of viewpoints so that we can accurately represent our constituents. We need a combination of historical knowledge about the district as well as fresh ideas; we need board members whose background is in finance, law, and just general knowledge but that is current and up-to-date and willing to change as society changes.

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

I cannot say that people are not yet talking about it, but it is just showing up on people's radar; our new Early Childhood Center. This new facility will accomplish so many things.

Not necessarily in order, but it will help to reduce crowding in our existing facilities by moving the pre-K classrooms out of some existing buildings, the ability to offer preschool to more children within the community as these children advance through the district studies have shown that a natural development is that these children do better on testing hence raising our test scores, and it will draw people to our community as it will be yet another indicator of the value that District 21 places on our children.