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Catherine DeMoon: Candidate Profile

Oak Grove District 68 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: LibertyvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Oak Grove District 68 School Board Age: 40Family: Married to Anthony DeMoonMom to Zoe (8), Sam (6), Thalia (3)Occupation: Stay at Home Mom and Seasonal Employee at our local family apple orchardEducation: Bachelor of Arts in CommunicationsMasters of Education in Elementary Education with Middle School EndorsementsCivic involvement: Board Member- The Kara FoundationPast Board Member- Libertyville Cooperative Nursery SchoolVolunteer at Feed My Starving ChildrenPast member of Daughters of Penelope (Hellenic Philanthropic Organization)Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?I want to enact positive change and work together with the administration and teachers to make sure students truly come first. Two key issues that motivate me are planning for tuition-free Kindergarten as well keeping class sizes manageable.What do you think about the process for measuring student success in your district? Is it adequate? What changes, if any, do you propose?I think the process for measuring student success works well. I like that the school gets feedback from Libertyville High School about how the students are performing.How big a role do you think the board of education should play in setting the curriculum for students and what ideas do you have for changes to the current curriculum?As a former teacher I feel the teachers and curriculum director should develop and implement curriculum based on research. The board's role should be to oversee the process and ensure that due diligence is done to review and approve it.What budget issues will your district have to confront and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, what programs and expenses should be reduced or eliminated? On the income side, do you support any tax or fee increases?We need to have a balanced budget that addresses our current needs as well as needs we'll have in future years (growing enrollment, full-day kindergarten, facility maintenance, etc.). Further investigation will determine whether cut or tax increases are necessary.What role can and should school choice play in your district? If Congress or the state approves a voucher system or other means giving students broader choices among public and private schools, how will that affect your district? What is the appropriate response for the board of education of a public school system?School choice could possibly affect us. We already have two private schools that local families can choose. But we've gained more students than we've lost to private schools via new neighborhoods that have fought to get into our school. So I think the affect will be minimal if we continue to offer excellent programs and initiatives.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Just as the previous board had a 5-year facilities plan to improve and update the school building, we need to make a plan to implement full-day kindergarten as well address growing class sizes. Despite overwhelming support from Oak Grove's teachers, and community members for full-day, tuition-free kindergarten, Oak Grove doesn't offer this critical feature that other Libertyville area schools already have. Simply saying "we can't afford it" and continually tabling these issues, isn't going to make full-day kindergarten or our growing enrollment go away. The only thing this procrastination does, is make the school ill-prepared for these inevitable realities. We need to be ready for them academically and financially.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Malala YousafzaiWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?There were two that were equally important, always pay your bills in full and on time and never lie.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Although and enticing thought, I wouldn't do a do-over because if I did I wouldn't be where I am today.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Language Arts was my favorite subject because it fostered my love for reading. Reading has expanded my horizons in more ways than I can explain.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Don't wait for things to happen to you. Do the things you want and have no regrets.