Joseph Ruffolo: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: South BarringtonWebsite: www.joeruffolofor220.orgOffice sought: Barrington Unit District 220 School Board Age: 49Family: wife - Kimberly daughter - Kayleigh (18) son - Alex (16) son - Eric (14)Occupation: EducatorEducation: Ph.D. Loyola University in Administration and Supervision, Master in Curriculum Development from Concordia University, Bachelor of Arts in Physics from Illinois Wesleyan UniversityCivic involvement: Board member 4 years Enrollment Monitoring Committee 4 yearsElected offices held: Facilities Committee Input 220 Board RepQuestions Answers How satisfied are you that your school district is adequately 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?I am very pleased with progress being made in district 220. The school district is thoughtfully and systematically implementing a one to one technology program, they have continued to work through the optimal time for learning initiatives and the financial condition of the district continues to be quite strong. I believe significant changes have been implemented recently, including the shift in the school calendar and the development and implementation of One to World. Additionally, in the near future, changes may come to the start time for the high school, in transportation services and in the maintenance and improvement of our facilities.What budgetary issues will your district have to confront during the next four years and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, be specific about programs and expenses that should be considered for reduction or elimination. On the income side, do you support any tax increases for local schools? Again, be specific.I believe funding changes may force the need for tough choices to be made by future school boards. Even though the bulk of the funding does come from local property taxes, losing state and or federal support will force substantial cuts and difficult choices. I feel that when faced with reductions, the best approach for a school board is to determine the necessary amount necessary to cut and ask the district level administration to propose the cuts as part of a public process. A significant amount of discussion and deliberation will be necessary before implementing changes to minimize the impact on students. I also believe that scope of spending cuts necessary dictates the programs that should be considered. Extracurricular programs and enrichment programs would have to be considered before adversely affecting core curriculum. Hopefully this does not become a reality, but our fiscal approach as a district has and continues to be to hope for the best but plan for the worst. On the income side, I do not anticipate the need for a tax increase without significant funding changes occurring from outside sources and would not support an increase in the current climate.Are you currently employed by or retired from a school district, if so, which one? Is any member of your direct family - spouse, child or child-in-law - employed by the school district where you are seeking a school board seat?I am currently employed by Leyden High School District 212. I have been an educator there for the past 25 years. Currently, I am the director of student activities and the AP physics instructor.As contract talks come up with various school employee groups -- teachers, support staff, etc. -- what posture should the school board take? Do you believe the district should ask for concessions from its employees, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?I believe the school board should work with the leaders in the employee groups and the administration to provide accurate data on the current and future financial health of the district. It is in the best interests of all parties to maintain the financial health and sustainability of the district. Concessions are typically dictated by the financial factors and data that is deemed relevant during the negotiations. It is difficult to speculate regarding specific scenarios considering the significant changes, both financial and political, that are occurring locally, at the state level and nationally. Ultimate, I would work toward a fair, competitive and sustainable labor contracts that allow the district to function comfortably without deficit spending.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?When making a decision regarding high-level district leaders, I feel the district should do its best to remain competitive, but I cannot support raises that the district cannot afford.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I feel that working on the board strategic plan should remain a primary focus. The multi-faceted comprehensive plan reflects the values and direction for an excellent school district provided by a very supportive community.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Stephan Hawking, a theoretical physicist and the former Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, a post held by Sir Isaac Newton's previously.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Disciple and hard work are the two most essential elements to getting ahead in this world.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Completing the work on my Ph.D. earlier so I didn't have to spend as much time away from my family when my kids were young.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject was mathematics which has a natural connection to the subject I teach (physics).If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Work hard every day to make life better for both you and those around you.