Richard Reese: Candidate Profile

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:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: LombardWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lombard Elementary D44Age: 47Family: Spouse #8211; SandyDaughters #8211; Bailey, Vicky, Laura Occupation: Director, Learning TechnologyCapital Education, LLC Education: Bachelor of Science, Mathematics Education, Northern Illinois UniversityMaster of Science, Computer Science, Northwestern University Civic involvement: Former Treasurer, District 44 PTA CouncilFormer Youth Team Leader, Park View Community ChurchFormer Treasurer, Tri-Town YMCA Papoose ProgramMeet Director, Butterfield Swim TeamElected offices held: NoneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Candidate did not respondCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I don't have any specific campaign issues or personal agenda that I intend to pursue. My intent is to voice the parents' point of view, regarding district matters, as those views are brought to my attention by the parents I represent.Key Issue 2 Candidate did not respondKey Issue 3 Candidate did not respondQuestions Answers How satisfied are you that your district is 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'm very satisfied with our district's performance and I think that our district is doing a very good job preparing our students. The programs that we are able to offer our students are, in my opinion, some of the strongest in the area. We have an administrative team, building principals, and teachers who, I believe, are committed to doing what's best for our students.What budget issues will the district have to confront? What measures do you support to address them? If cuts are needed, be specific about programs and expenses that should be reduced or eliminated. Do you support any tax increases for local schools?The district's administration has been very proactive in managing expenses, allowing the district to maintain a balanced budget without having to reduce staff or cut programs. So, I don't foresee any immediate budget issues. However, if we were to encounter budgetary issues, I believe that we would need to see where costs can be reduced with regard to internal processes and purchased services before we talk about eliminating programs. Is experience as a teacher or support from a union valuable because it suggests educational insights or detrimental because it creates pro-teacher bias? Please clarify whether you have such experience or would accept union support.As a former teacher, I believe that my experience is valuable as it provides me with the perspective of an educator as well as a parent. I don't think teaching experience or support from a union, in and of themselves, create a pro-teacher bias. That being said, I would not accept union support, only because I would prefer to remain free of any perception of external influence. As contract talks come up with various employee groups, what posture should the board take? Do you believe the district should ask for concessions, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?I think that as contracts talks come up, it's the responsibility of the board to act fairly and in the best interest of the students. I think that both sides need to be practical, open minded and work toward achieving an outcome that makes fiscal sense. I don't think that negotiations need to be pigeon-holed into one particular approach. There may be room for concessions in some areas, while keeping costs the same or increasing compensation may make sense in others. You don't know what the negotiating points are until you sit at the table and talk.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?I would not support this measure as this practice has already placed a tremendous strain on the current pension system.