Martin Jacobs: 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: Green OaksWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Oak Grove District 68 School Board Age: 68Family: Wife Patricia, Son Michael, Daughter Rachael, Son AndrewOccupation: Retired School AdministratorEducation: BA English MA Educational Administration JD LawCivic involvement: Safety Committee Village of Green OaksElected offices held: NoneQuestions Answers How satisfied are you that your school district is adequately 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 am very satisfied with Oak Grove's commitment to Illinois common core standards. I believe Oak Grove more than adequately prepares students for success in high school and the future. I believe the school has been successful in meeting the needs of all students and must continue this fine tradition.What budgetary issues will your district have to confront during the next four years and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, be specific about programs and expenses that should be considered for reduction or elimination. On the income side, do you support any tax increases for local schools? Again, be specific.We must realize that all finances we have comes from taxpayers and this money needs to be used wisely. We are in a construction phase and are looking at an upcoming contract. We need to finish the construction and give a fair contract to our teachers in order to attract the best teachers and to retain the outstanding teachers we have. In light of the fact that the state is shifting the financial burden of retirement to the local districts we need to include this fact in future planning. We also need to be aware of the financial ramifications of housing developments seeking to be included in our school district.Are you currently employed by or retired from a school district, if so, which one? Is any member of your direct family - spouse, child or child-in-law - employed by the school district where you are seeking a school board seat?I am retired from Waukegan District 60. My wife is an aide at Oak Grove and has been since 2001, and my son is a part-time custodian.As contract talks come up with various school employee groups -- teachers, support staff, etc. -- what posture should the school board take? 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?Without knowing any specifics regarding the contract, I believe the school board should treat its employees fairly. One gage would be contracts of similar districts in our area. Health insurance is a huge issue and needs to be thought through very carefully in order to give the best coverage possible for a reasonable price.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 believe the current law speaks to any raise for the Superintendent. We now have an outstanding superintendent. I am not sure when he will be retiring, but I hope it will not be soon.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I am seeking this position with no agendas of my own. I was pleased with my own three children's education and I would hope that if elected to the school board I would be a positive influence to carry on the fine tradition of Oak Grove. This is my time to give back to the community.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Tom Thibodeau of the Chicago Bulls because he is able to pull so much from his players without losing their respect.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Life is not always a smooth road but you must deal with what comes your way.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have spent more time with family and less time at part time jobs.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?English. It has been a great help in communicating with others and was a great help in law school.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Balance all aspects of your life,(social, family, work, etc.) so that no one aspect gets blown out of proportion.