Mark Grosso: Candidate Profile

Back to Geneva Unit District 304 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: GenevaWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Geneva Unit District 304 School Board Age: 66Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: RetiredEducation: Candidate did not respond.Civic involvement: Candidate did not respond.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 am running for re-election to continue the progress this Board has made in the areas of student success and fiscal accountability.I believe that School Board members are not only stewards of an educational program but are also stewards of taxpayers dollars. I am retired and live on a fixed income, so I am keenly aware of how increased taxes affect seniors. I would also like to continue our focus on building community trust through common sense and objective decision making as well as accountability. I would also like to continue our community engagement efforts improving all lines of communication.I believe my business experience has helped to improve the decision making culture within the District and would like to see this continue.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 believe District 304 does a good job measuring student success, however there is always room for improvement. I believe we currently have adequate measurements in place but this is an area that continually changes We rely on our professional staff for guidance in this area. We also receive information and directives from the Illinois State Board of Education that mandate changes.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?I believe the Board should maintain an oversight position and utilize guidance from our professional staff.I am a proponent of using technology in our classrooms. I have seen firsthand how it has increased student participation and collaboration. District 304 has been very successful in using a deliberate and measured. approach with regard to technology.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?District 304 implemented a debt reduction plan that has included tax abatements, recall of bonds and restructuring of debt. This was designed to keep property taxes relatively flat into the future. I want to continue our debt reduction while maintaining tight control of the budget. My concern is what legislation the state of Illinois might implement that would adversely affect local school districts. Teachers pension, cost shift, and property tax freeze are just a few on the horizon. I do not support any additional taxes or fees.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?I believe in D-304, we offer an outstanding educational package for our students. Almost every parent I speak with, located to Geneva for the schools, so most in our area have already made their choice. Any legislative mandate would need to be evaluated before I could determine how it might affect our district. Any response would depend upon the legislation. However we are stewards of public education within our District and would proactively support that position.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.Pope FrancisWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Respect for othersIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would give the do-over to someone else.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Science, It has challenged me to find out how thing work and understand them.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Always tell the truth.