Heather Weishaar: 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: RoselleWebsite: https://www.facebook.com/heathermweishaarOffice sought: Keeneyville District 20 School Board Age: 38Family: Married, two children.Occupation: Outreach Director at an Illinois-based non-profitEducation: B.A Organizational Communication, Western Michigan UniversityCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions 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'm satisfied, and we can continue to improve. It's not just a school district issue to prepare students for the next stage in their lives - we all play a part in ensuring that our district's students have the tools they need to be successful. Having an involved community is one of the most important things we can do to make sure that happens, and to build upon this, the district needs to re-evaluate how we communicate with the residents of Keeneyville School District 20.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.In the next four years, the budgetary issues the district will face include uncertainty of state funding, and the changing needs of our student population. I would work diligently to explore alternative revenue sources, including pursuing grant funding for programs/services, to address these issues. If cuts were necessary, I would support those that had the least impact on the quality of education for the students. I think there is still significant economic uncertainty, and tax increases should be considered a last resort.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?No.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 most important first step would be to have an open and honest dialogue with the group and their representativesâ#128;brvbar;what issues are most important to both? How can we work together to make sure that the needs of both sides are met? Employees should be compensated for good work, within the confines of the district budget.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?No, I wouldn't. Budgets are already tight for school districts, and I don't think that a substantial boost in pay to a retiring administrator is a prudent use of tax payer money.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Communication: I would work to develop a district-wide e-newsletter to communicate school news events and administrative updates to our ESD20 community. Enrichment Program: I would work to develop an enrichment program for our elementary schools, to meet the needs of our high achieving students. Resources: I want to ensure that teachers have the resources they need to meet curriculum expectations.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Bill Gates. His commitment to philanthropy is inspiring.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?To try my best.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I wouldn't - no do-overs for me!What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Sociology. It has helped me to be understanding of those with opinions/expectations that are different than mine.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?My advice to my children is to 'be kind'. I tell them this every day as they head out the door for school.