New District 200 superintendent fighting Senate Bill 16

My first day in Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 was Sept. 2. Walking in the doors that day, I was filled with a combination of nervousness and excitement. Like most students and teachers on the first day of school, I was looking forward to the new year, a new beginning.

When I accepted this position in July, I knew I was coming to an excellent school district that is highly regarded for high-achieving students, an excellent staff and a supportive community. What I have experienced over the last few weeks has far exceeded my expectations.

In my first month, I am working to visit all 20 of our schools and look forward to getting to know our students, staff and community better. I look forward to strategically planning for our district's future with our board of education. Another initiative I'm working on is encouraging our community to contact their Illinois Representative to ask them to vote no on Senate Bill 16.

Last July, the Illinois Senate Education Funding Advisory Committee was tasked with recommending ways to improve public education funding in Illinois. If enacted into law, SB16 would reduce District 200's state revenue allocation by 81 percent, or $9.8 million, over four years. A revenue reduction of $9.8 million is equivalent to the salary of approximately 132 teachers. If this bill passes in the state's House of Representatives, District 200 will have the fifth-largest reduction in state funding among the 862 school districts in Illinois and the second-largest reduction in DuPage County.

The bill already has passed the Senate. It is expected that SB16 will be discussed and possibly voted on by the House as early as this fall. This is where we need your help. We are asking you to contacting your Illinois Representative and ask them to vote against SB16.

It is evident to me that this community greatly values education and I know that, as superintendent, I have a great deal of responsibility in upholding that value. If SB16 passes, education in our district will change drastically and I want to ensure students in District 200 receive the same quality education I expect for my children, Lucas and Ella.

Thank you for the opportunity to lead this incredible school district. If you'd like to learn more about me, you can visit cusd200.org/superintendent.