Elizabeth Morley: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Elizabeth (Beth) Morley

City: Des Plaines

Office sought: School Board Member for Des Plaines Community Consolidated School District 62

Age: 54

Family: Husband Jon and our 2 kids, Shannon 22 and Nate 20

Occupation: Vice President of Operations for Messina Group

Education: East Leyden High School Class of 1982, attended Triton College but did not graduate

Civic involvement: Elected to the District 62 School Board in 2015, Forest School PTC member, Algonquin Middle School PTO President, Maine West Fine Arts Booster Board, Maine West Athletic Booster, also volunteer for various local charitable organizations.

Previous elected offices held: Elected to the District 62 School Board in 2015

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? 2015

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Issue questions

What are the most important issues facing your district and how do you intend to address them?

The most important issues at this time are the potential for a pension cost shift back to the individual districts, making sure that we have equity across all 11 of our schools, and the successful implementation of our new Strategic Plan. I plan on holding the superintendent and the administration accountable to address each of these concerns while also keeping the education of the students moving forward in an ever-changing world. We must leverage every partnership, develop a working, mutually beneficial relationship with our neighboring school districts and do everything in our power to be certain that every dollar we spend is providing the best educational opportunities for every student in our district.

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?

We can never be satisfied - satisfaction leads to complacency. Our district is constantly striving for better ways to prepare elementary students for the next phase in their education. That includes trying to harness current data and technology and define the best processes to keep moving the progress of our students forward. As a board, we set the vision and goals for the district. It is up to the superintendent, administration and staff to suggest and implement the changes that need to be made to achieve the vision and goals that we set.

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? Be specific. The looming pension shift, and the potential for another potentially crippling recession, is of great concern. All signs point to the state legislature shifting their obligation to fully fund the pension plans to the individual districts. We must appeal to our legislators to find a better answer - they need to find a solution that is fair and equitable to all. At the same time, we must be prepared financially to absorb some or all of the burden while also meeting our obligation to provide our students with a quality education. As a district, we must always live within our means and be proactive about identifying and eliminating any areas of redundant expenses and potential opportunities to increase income … without increasing taxes.

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 of the above.

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?

During my tenure on the District 62 Board, we've successfully completed negotiations with each of our school employee groups. Each side had their own financial and philosophical objectives they wished to achieve and neither side came away with 100% of their objectives achieved. However, I believe that the board and the employee groups recognize that we have a similar objective and we all want what is best for our students and community.

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 would find it very difficult to support an increase such as the one you've outlined which is something that became common practice due to poorly designed legislation. One of our primary responsibilities as elected school board members is to oversee the district's budget and protect the taxpayers' investment in our schools.