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Ryan Farrell: Candidate Profile

Crystal Lake District 47 School Board

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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: LakewoodWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Crystal Lake District 47 School Board Age: 36Family: I have been married to my wife, Amy, for 10 years. We have two sons, Brady (7 - will be 8 in March) and Luke (5 - will be 6 in March).Occupation: Partner at the Law Firm of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood McArdleEducation: Juris Doctor, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2005 Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, University of Illinois, 2000 Certified Public Accountant, 2001Civic involvement: School District 47 School Board (2011-Present); Centegra Health Systems - Finance Committee; Leadership Greater McHenry County - Vice Chair of Board of Trustees; Chamber of Commerce - Past Chairman, current Vice Chair of Chamber Ambassadors; Crystal Lake Rotary Club Dawnbreakers - Treasurer; Coach for several youth sports teams, including through Crystal Lake Baseball, Crystal Lake Soccer Federation, and Upward BasketballElected offices held: School Board Member of Crystal Lake District 47 (2011-Present)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?School District 47 is doing a great job in preparing students, but I believe there is still room for improvement. District 47's 2014 ISAT Composite Score was 74.5% of students meeting or exceeding state goals, which placed it 4th out of 14 districts in McHenry County and closer to the School Board's stated goal of raising District 47 to first in the County. This year, the School Board implemented some exciting changes in the reading curriculum that will help to improve students' abilities, however, I believe that we need to be relentless in challenging students more than is currently happening, particularly at the middle school level. I believe we need to increase the rigor of the curriculum in a manner that excites and enables the students to reach higher to meet the challenge. Additionally, District 47 should continue to communicate and work with District 155 to be able to ensure a more seamless transition. The recent joint in-service day was a step in the right direction.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.The major budget issues will likely come from a combination of decreased revenue from the state (e.g., Senate Bill 16 in its current form), a possible shift of pension liability onto local districts, and an increase in unfunded mandates. One means of addressing these issues will be by advocating at the state level. In 2014, I participated in a voter forum sponsored by State Sen. Althoff to inform taxpayers about the impact that SB 16 would have on District 47. I believe that pressure and, possibly more importantly, awareness of the issue by voters contributed to it not passing during the last legislative session. In the event that decreases in revenue and/or increases in non-discretionary spending do arise, I think that the programs most likely to be cut would be support services for those lower performing students who do not qualify for special education, such as reading intervention. Such cuts would be accompanies by the adjustment of remaining programs where feasible to provide all or some of the benefits provided by the cut programs. On the revenue side, I would look for reductions in expenses first and not assume a tax increase, but would not rule out some increase in order to provide a quality education. Based on the amount spent per student and the level of education provided, District 47 has been an excellent steward of taxpayer money and I will strive to continue to find that balance.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 to all.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 School Board should take a posture of listening to the concerns of the various employee groups and constituent groups and weighing what is heard with the financial reality in which we find ourselves. We need to find ways to improve conditions for both teachers, our largest employee group, and students that do not cost money, such as by reducing nonessential or redundant programs that we currently have in place. The Board has been fortunate to have a very healthy relationship with its employee stakeholders, which has led to constructive negotiations. By actively listening to the teachers' concerns, I believe we reached a reasonable compromise during our recent contract negotiations regarding salary, based on the prior freeze and current economic conditions. I would advocate for salaries to be adjusted for inflation, but otherwise remain roughly the same. I believe that District 47 should continue to look at its employee benefits to remain competitive with, but not more generous than, the private sector. Further, I would support a change in philosophy for the teacher schedule by differentiating between those teachers with time expectations away from the classroom as a result of grading papers, etc. vs. those with no or minimal work outside of the classroom.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. During our last round of teacher negotiations, I made a point of stating publicly prior to the vote that I would not support a contract in the future that contained the early retirement bumps. That stance applies to administrators as well. I recognize that the answer to this question is more nuanced than it appears on its face. From a local perspective, replacing a higher paid employee with a lower one does lead to initial savings. Nevertheless, we need to stop perpetuating the pension crisis at the state level, which is crippling our state and lead by example.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I believe that District 47 needs to continue to improve its infrastructure, especially as it relates to technology. With the increase in required testing via computers (e.g. PARCC) and the need for students to gain familiarity with integrating technology into their daily learning. Issues like bandwith and 1:1 devices are becoming critical issues; District 47 should get out in front of these issues by properly budgeting in order to provide for those expenditures.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Bob Blazier, who has been involved in CL schools, hospital, commerce and banking. Now in his 80's, he continues to lead with passion and enthusiasm.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The power of finding the best in people and making meaningful connections.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I wouldn't take it. I have made many mistakes, but I have learned from them all.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject was social studies, where I learned to think critically. In my job as a lawyer, that skill is invaluable.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Your reputation is your most valuable asset.