Margaret A. DeLaRosa: 2023 candidate for Glenbard Township High School District 87, 2-year unexpired term

Bio

Town: Glen Ellyn

Age on Election Day: 61

Occupation: Sr HRIS Analyst

Employer: CJ Logistics America

Previous offices held: Glenbard Township High School District 87 board member since 2015

Q&A

Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

A: In the past six months, we have lost two seasoned board members. I was initially not planning to run in this election but with the passing of board member Mireya Vera I felt it my responsibility to run for the remaining term of board member Judith Weinstock and continue the good work on behalf students, staff and our communities. We have a student-centered board and I feel it should remain as so.

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

A: The role of the school board is to hire the superintendent, and set district goals. The curriculum is under the purview of the superintendent and his designee for Instruction following the standards set by state, and U.S. Department of Education.

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

A: The Student Performance and Achievement (SPA) committee whose members include teachers, administrators, community and board members are charged with review of the curricular changes and additions. They meet on a planned regular calendar basis, and review all changes made to curriculum.

The committee's meetings are open to the public and there is opportunity for public comment at the beginning and end of each meeting. I have been a member of this committee and have had the opportunity to review curriculum rewrites, I have been pleased with the level of detail and professional approach to this process.

Q: 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?

A: I have been a school board member for nearly 8 years and have been in each these situations I provided leadership during a policy change on equal education opportunity for students. I have advocated for a change in the school day start time for many years, a change long desired by many families, and I had to defer to state authorities on the return to in person learning in the fall of 2021.

Q: Concerns are growing regarding a new resurgence of the pandemic. If another massive outbreak of infectious disease occurs, what have we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that will guide your decision making?

A: What we have learned from COVID-19 was that our strategic decision to move to a 1:1 program (meaning every student with their own device) for Class 2018 forward allowed us to move smoothly into online learning in 2020.

Additionally we found that we could mail all devices to student's home, a new ongoing practice since COVID-19. More importantly, we learned that in person learning was hard loss in 2020. In 2021, I lobbied our board, and the administration to bring the most reliable COVID-19 testing strategy we could find and scale it to all four buildings.

This testing effort was a game changer and allowed us to safely return to in-person learning. It created a safer environment for both staff and students.

The pandemic has taught us the value our daily interactions, and that school is more than learning. We learned the importance of following guidelines to keep students healthy, workplaces safe and we valued our time together.

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

A: My approach to board or other organization work is to come prepared and ready for meaningful discussion. I come to organization work in good faith with the idea that most people are there with a similar focus. Engaging in discussion and sharing perspectives is what effective groups do as they move to one policy, or an administrative procedure.

Glenbard D87 board has a policy committee that handles matters of policy, and procedure. The policy committee works through policy changes that come through the IASB online service (Press). The policy committee sets an annual calendar of meetings, and like other board committees are open to the public with a set time for public comment.

We are not an organization with abrupt changes in policy or approach. Even when we have had proposed changes either by board or administration those proposals went through the same process of introduction, discussion, and finally agenda for further discussion and vote.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: What makes me a good candidate for Glenbard District 87 is my focus on students, families, and the desire to maintain a competitive public high school in strong communities where young families want to settle and educate their children.

I focus on the task at hand, and if there are disagreements among board or committees I work to find common ground with sensible solutions for all stakeholders. I am one vote of a seven-member board. I prioritize by board work, come prepared to discuss agenda items, and do my best to collectively ask questions at the committee level, and share any concerns I have on an issue or agenda items with my fellow board members. I consistently come to the board table, student and teacher focused, and in good faith for the community.

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

A: We have been working on more pathways for students. I still would like to see us develop a check point process for all career interests. Student interest should be supported with very specific planning and tasks like those defined in the application process for 4-year university programs.

Our local, regional and global economy is dependent on many types of careers, and so we as a high school district must find more ways to meet the varied needs of our students.