Barbara Layer: Candidate Profile

Back to Lake Park High School District 108 School Board

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: RoselleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lake Park High School District 108 School Board Age: 60Family: Widow Sons Jason, Timothy, BrianOccupation: Orthopedic Itinerant TeacherEducation: Northern Illinois University/ Bachelor's special education and regular education National Louis University/ Master' Technology Roosevelt University Doctoral ProgramCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: President Vice President SecretaryQuestions 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?Lake Park High School has a very comprehensive academic, activities, and athletic program. Students have opportunities for internships to explore career choices, electives to explore interests, and a newly expanded engineering and manufacturing program for students to learn skills for employment and further study. All students have the opportunity to take advanced placement classes to increase collegiate success. The administration and staff are always looking for new ways to improve academics and student opportunities. The area of technology and innovative ways to teach and assess students continues to evolve. Technology continually changes, but needs to be explored in ways to enhance academics and learning in the school environment and beyond.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.Lake Park has had a balanced budget since 2007, despite the state's mandates and new requirements for programs, assessments, and supplies for school districts. We have accomplished this without cuts to staff or programs. There are many unresolved issues in the state of Illinois that remain on the table including pension, taxes, and assessments that we will have to be prepared to budget for in the next 4 years. I do not support tax increases for the local school districts. The state still needs to continue to support schools and programs.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 work for the Cooperative Association for Special Education in Glen Ellyn. I do not have a relative that works at Lake Park High School.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?The Lake Park School Board has a role on the negotiating team along with the administration and teacher's union. At Lake Park we work together to contain costs.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 do not support a substantial increase for a superintendent or an administrator that would be nearing retirement because it is taking money out of the budget for student expenditures and salaries for superintendents are in some areas out of line.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Candidate did not respond.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Candidate did not respond.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Candidate did not respond.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Candidate did not respond.