Micheline Welch: 2025 candidate for Central Unit District 301 board

Bio

Office Sought: Central Unit District 301 board (Vote for 3)

City: Elgin/Plato Township

Age: 51

Occupation: Mom

Previous offices held: None

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

I'm the co-founder of Building A Better District, a grass-roots organization created to investigate issues surrounding a referendum that failed three times, but cost us over $9.3 million.

Through that work, I received overwhelming concerns from parents, teachers, retirees, and staff about a wide variety district operations. Information came through emails, texts, intermediaries, and even anonymously — revealing a strong culture of fear and retaliation.

Over the last 18 months, I've researched district issues, analyzed data, filed FOIA requests, and helped develop www.buildingabetterdistrict.org, sharing information via social media, newsletters, and community presentations. I’ve identified areas needing improvement, including teacher retention, budgeting, special education, ELL support, and more.

I’ve gained deep insight into ISBE reporting, school code, staffing, funding, board policies, and the district’s $90 million-plus budget.

To restore trust, transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership, I believe the best way to serve our community is to take their feedback and turn it into action items as a board of education member.

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

They approve curriculum and instructional materials, ensuring alignment with Illinois Learning Standards and state mandates, as well as making sure they follow state and federal guidelines.

They monitor implementation, review updates, and ensure compliance with laws on subjects like reading, math, science, and civics.

While the board is responsible for setting broad educational goals, district administrators and educators are responsible for developing the details and implementing curriculum.

Boards also review assessments, ensuring student progress is measured effectively. They gather community input, but cannot override state-mandated content.

Transparency, accountability, and educational quality should remain the key priorities. A simplified way to look at any board activity is that the “Superintendent is responsible for rowing the boat, but the board of education is responsible for steering.”

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

Yes, several curriculum issues need attention from the board. One major concern is the lack of a consistent math program from year to year, which impacts student learning continuity and our math teachers’ ability to become proficient in teaching with a particular curriculum.

We must also ensure teachers have the necessary tools to support the curriculum, including books, work sheets, workbooks, web links, and other resources in the EMBARC system so they aren’t having to take additional time to find resources for their lesson planning that are provided to teachers in other districts.

Additionally, it's critical to help families and community members understand what is being taught in our schools. Misunderstandings often arise due to a lack of information, leading to unnecessary assumptions about what goes on in our classrooms. Transparency in curriculum content will foster trust and collaboration between schools and the community.

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?

As a board of education member, my role in addressing policy or curriculum controversies is to provide leadership with transparency, ensure all voices are heard, and uphold state and federal laws above personal politics or opinions.

The school board is a nonpartisan body, and decisions must be based on what is legally required and educationally sound, not on personal beliefs or outside pressures.

I believe in clear communication about the rationale behind decisions, ensuring that stakeholders — whether they agree or disagree — understand the facts, requirements, and guiding principles. While community input is essential, the board must follow Illinois Learning Standards, state mandates, and federal guidelines.

By maintaining open dialogue and focusing on what best supports students and teachers, we can navigate complex issues responsibly while ensuring curriculum and policies remain aligned with educational best practices and legal obligations.

There may be times where state authorities send down mandates with which some of the community disagrees; the appropriate place for the community to challenge those mandates is Springfield, not their local board of education.

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 many years of experience working in a corporate environment, where efficiency depends on well-structured policies and procedures that clearly define the who, what, when, where, why, and how of operations. In any organization — including a school district, policies provide the necessary framework to ensure consistency, accountability, and fairness.

My approach in a group setting is collaborative and solution-driven and with policy the main question is “what are we trying to accomplish with this policy?”

I will listen to all perspectives, evaluate data when appropriate and available, and focus on fact-based decision-making to reach agreements that serve the best interests of students, teachers, and the community.

Policies are living documents, meaning they must be regularly reviewed, updated, and adapted to remain relevant and effective. More importantly, gaps must be identified where policies should exist, but currently do not.

My experience in structured governance and strategic planning will help ensure the district’s policies are comprehensive, transparent, and consistently enforced, allowing for more effective decision-making that strengthens the district as a whole.

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.

The only public-facing diversity and equity efforts are events like Culture Blast, showcasing student cultures, and a DEI Club at our middle and high schools. Beyond that, diversity and equity efforts are not well publicized. Our focus should always be on creating a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for all students and staff, ensuring fairness without disadvantaging others.

Efforts to advance equity must also be evidence-based. For example, minority students were once asked to share personal traumas with staff during a development day, which — while well-intended — was inappropriate, not trauma-informed, and placed undue burden on students.

To make meaningful progress, professionals in educational equity, trauma-informed care, and student well-being should lead these efforts. Key questions should guide us: What is our goal? How do we achieve it effectively? Who are the best resources? We must also improve how we communicate these efforts to the community in the context of our schools to ensure understanding and eliminate conjecture about this topic.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I am the best candidate because I have been deeply immersed in understanding our district for over 18 months, studying appropriate board governance, reviewing policies, and seeking mentorship from BOE members in high-performing districts outside Kane County to ensure I am fully prepared to serve effectively from day one.

Beyond preparation, I have already been working nearly full-time on a volunteer basis through Building a Better District to bring transparency, accountability, and positive change to our schools. My commitment to open communication, fiscal responsibility, and student success has driven my advocacy for data-driven decision-making and community engagement.

I have actively worked to improve communication between the district and stakeholders, ensuring policies reflect both student needs and sound financial oversight. I am ready to step in, work collaboratively, and drive positive outcomes for students, staff, and our community.

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

Because of Building A Better District, most of my ideas are out in the public space, but one in particular that has been discussed at length between Andy Dogan and myself is the need for a “transparency portal” and policy around it. Policy would need to be written to require all contracts and documents possible be accessible in a searchable portal online to eliminate the need for most FOIAs and make things easily accessible to the public.

From service vendor contracts to annual water testing at our schools and the responsive records provided to FOIAs as they are fulfilled would all sit in an online library that could be searched by keyword.

We have real challenges in this area and our district's poor record with FOIA requests being met with delays, denials, and more have left our community feeling as if they must chase down information to find what they need. This initiative would go a long way toward reestablishing trust for the district and the board.