David Sunseri: 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: Crystal LakeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Crystal Lake District 47 School Board Age: 36Family: I have been happily married for 2 years to my wife Melanie and we are expecting the birth of our first two children this summer.Occupation: Teacher/ teacher's aideEducation: Masters in Teaching from DePaul University and a Bachelors in Social Science/ History from Benedictine UniversityCivic involvement: I have been an active volunteer for numerous candidates who ran for office in previous elections, mostly out of DuPage County.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 believe that in a community as great as Crystal Lake, serving as a board member can contribute to higher ISAT scores for elementary students by seeing that students are getting the quality education they deserve. The school has seen progress in improving standards but I believe this progress can reach even higher levels with more teacher support in the form of tutoring. I believe my tax money is being spent too much on operational spending instead of on the students. If elected, I intend to see that teachers and resources will be provided for students to continue to help them grow. In addition to this, as a tax-payer that will one day have my children attending this district, I would like to see my tax money spent wisely and effectively. When we are spending close to $10,000 in operations per student and $5,800 in instructional spending, I have to ask why is there such a disparity between the two and how can this be fixed. I look forward for the opportunity to work with others and resolve this.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.With state and federal funding continuing to decrease in Illinois and more teachers nearing retirement, I believe the best way to confront the issue is to see that our tax money is effectively being divided. We can do this without raising taxes and laying off educators. I propose that we cut operational funding which would limit administrators and access spending. Teacher's can responsibly educate the students and make decisions regarding their education without two, three, four bosses to go through when making necessary changes. I believe many of the school projects such as painting or even lawn work in the summer can be done through student volunteer work or community projects. This can be accomplished! In today's world, high school students often are expected to volunteer for community service per graduation requirements. This can be a cost saving option as these students would have the opportunity to give back to their community. When I was in school, which was not that long ago, students would have to volunteer their efforts for to their community. What better way to instill pride and responsibility within or student body? In addition to projects like these, I would aim to eliminate tax increases so we can keep our community affordable for everyone.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 currently work for school district 300. I have taught summer school classes and additionally worked during the years as a teacher's aide. I have no relatives that work for this district.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?I believe the board needs to keep a firm stance. Taxes have increased the last two years in a row! To stop this we need to consider avenues that will help students and educators effectively utilize tax money.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 substantial, or any, increases in pay before retirement. Adding money to your own pocket at the expense of others is not fair or necessary. Superintendents and administrators have very high salaries as is, they do not need to 'bump their pay.'What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?With a wealth of qualified teaching candidates, I would like to see the district push for the most qualified candidate when openings become available as opposed to simply hiring friends or family. Exemplifying nepotism does not set a good example for students. We want them to work hard to reach their goals. I believe the curriculum that serves students can also be improved. It is to common to see students perform poorly on tests or even assignments for the simple reason that their overall understanding of vocabulary is not where it could be. I feel more emphasis in student learning can contribute to higher levels of success for a student.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.I am inspired by the priests of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Crystal Lake. They are very committed with helping everyone.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?When you get knocked down, get back up. Many lessons I've learned happened through failures that motivated me to find success and learn from mistakes.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I have no regrets with actions or efforts I have taken throughout my life.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History was always the subject I enjoyed learning about. This helped lead a life-long passion of learning to my college degree.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Never give up and always fight through the difficult times.