Susan Bush: 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: LibertyvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Rondout District 72 School Board (4-year Terms)Age: 53Family: Married 20 years, two children, ages 13 and 12.Occupation: Vice President Wealth Management Advisor Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Lake Forest, IllinoisEducation: Bachelor of Arts, Economics, Michigan State University - 1982Civic involvement: Girl Scout Leader Rondout PTSA Rondout School Curriculum CouncilElected offices held: NoneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Continue Rondout's commitment to Individualized Learning Plans for students with increased focus on the educational basics while strengthening efforts to help identify growth opportunites for every student.Key Issue 2 Maintaining fiscal responsibility within the district so that tax increases will not be required and to help ensure tax payers are confident they are well served.Key Issue 3 Collaborate with school administrators, faculty, parents and communuity members to communicate and align resources with key objectives and evaluate progress towards those goals.Questions Answers What do you think about the shift to the common core standards? 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?The Common Core Standards are the current state. Rondout's efforts to align curriculum with Common Core Standards have been underway for several years. The Common Core form foundational standards while providing sufficient flexabilty for local voice. Curriculum is developed and implemented by Superindents who in turn are hired and serve at the pleasure of local Boards of Education.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?Rondout students have progressively improved performance in both ISAT and ITBS standardized tests. Rondout's current approach to preparing students balances academic leaning plans with social-emotional skills seeking to develop well-balanced students. Opportunity exists to strengthen basic educational skills thereby raising the bar for each student.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 increases?We need to continue the practice of fiscal responsibility and operating within the current tax base. Rondout has regularly received a Fiancial Regognition rating from the state.As contract talks come up with various school employee groups, 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?The contract with the teachers union was successfully neogiated in 2012. It will next be addressed in the 2015-2016 school year. The school board will evaluate the situation at the approriate time.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?District 72 does not currently face this issue.