Tom Vickers: 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: LibertyvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Libertyville District 70 School Board Age: 53Family: Married to Julie (26 years) and we have four children ages 20, 19, 17, and 14.Occupation: AttorneyEducation: J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law; B.S. Business, Major in Energy Management from E.I.U.Civic involvement: District 70 School Board Member for eight years and Board President for last two years; various school family association positions; Village of Libertyville Strategic Plan focus group member.Elected offices held: District 70 Board of Education 2009-presentQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?I am running for re-election for the same reasons I first ran eight years ago. I want to provide community service on behalf of all District 70 stakeholders, and work for the continued success of our students. There is not a particular issue that motivates me, nor should there be. My motivation is to continue working in support of the District's mission, which is to prepare our students to live and work in tomorrow's world.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?District 70 has a robust process for measuring student success, which is not limited to mandated testing, and the Board's expectation is that the District seeks continuous improvement of the assessment process. To be certain, advancing instruction and assessment have been key components of the Board-adopted Strategic Plan since 2011, which now extends through 2021.How big a role do you think the board of education should play in setting the curriculum for students and what ideas do you have for changes to the current curriculum?While the Board of Education is responsible for curriculum adoption, the Superintendent, receiving advice from his administrative and teaching staffs, is and should remain responsible for making curriculum recommendations to the Board. All of this work is, of course, guided by state and federal requirements, but it also should reflect the communities' objectives where possible. For example, as part of the District 70 Strategic Plan, which evolved from various stakeholder focus groups and planning sessions, specific curriculum enhancement goals and action items were identified. Now, under the guidance of Superintendent Schumacher, with oversight from the Board, the District is acting upon these and other elements of the Strategic Plan.What budget issues will your district have to confront and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, what programs and expenses should be reduced or eliminated? On the income side, do you support any tax or fee increases?The biggest budget issue facing District 70 is the uncertainty emanating from the ongoing school-funding debate in Springfield. My conservative presumption, which guides my decision-making on the Board, is that District 70 will likely see a reduction in State funding, a shift of pension costs, a property tax freeze, or some combination of these measures. I have attended several events over the past two years where legislators have spoken on this topic, including as recently as January 30th, and great uncertainty remains. However, the District 70 Board has regularly discussed and analyzed the effect these changes would have on District finances, and we are well prepared to act accordingly.What role can and should school choice play in your district? If Congress or the state approves a voucher system or other means giving students broader choices among public and private schools, how will that affect your district? What is the appropriate response for the board of education of a public school system?If a voucher system is approved I believe that some families will opt for private schools for religious reasons. However, and assuming school district boundaries are not eliminated, I do not believe a voucher system will have a significant impact on District 70. I say this because my experience is that families generally want their children to school with friends and neighbors, and families are not likely to find a better school option than that found in District 70.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Candidate did not respond.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Through my parents' actions I learned that if you work hard and be respectful of others, things will generally work out.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?No do-overs. Mistakes are opportunities to learn.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite class in college was physics. Great professor and I learned how to think through and solve complex problems.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?The advice I have given my children is that if you give your best effort you will have more options and opportunities in life.