Leslie LaMarca: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Leslie LaMarca

City: Pingree Grove, IL

Office sought: D300 Board of Education

Age: 49

Family: Husband (Ray), 2 Children (Livia-age 16 & Landon- age 13)

Occupation: President of the D300 Food Pantry (NON-PAID/VOLUNTEER POSITION)

Education: B.A. Communications (North Central College 1991)

Civic involvement: Dundee Jaycees (1993-1999), Pingree Grove Events Committee, Pingree Grove Cares, Girl Scout Leader, Director on the Northern Kane Educational Board (charter school), Leadership for the D300 Food Pantry

Previous elected offices held: Director on the Northern Kane Educational Board (December 2012-May 2018)

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? N/A

Website: N/A

Facebook: @LaMarcaD300Candidate

Twitter: N/A

Issue questions

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

While I believe that the list of important issues for any school district is far from exhaustive, I have narrowed it down to what I see as the top three. In no particular order, I believe that the three most important issues facing our schools are 1) Safety of our students 2) Continuing to meet the ongoing and ever-changing need to provide each and every D300 student with what they need academically, socially, and emotionally to be successful 3) Addressing the changing needs of our district's student population based upon geography, available resources, and future predicted growth. Overall, I would address these issues by working collaboratively with the Superintendent, D300 staff, and other Board members to arrive at innovative approaches that make sure to also take into account feedback of the D300 community at large. As we all are well aware, student safety is an ongoing issue and one that I believe our district addresses extremely well. That said, as the landscape changes with every incident and the issue itself warrants a high level of emotionality, we must continue to address these challenges in a calm and intelligent manner that ultimately warrants the best possible solutions for our students. The other two issues require more data mining and reliance upon those professionals who are currently steering us. Predisposed to being a highly-engaged board member, I would seek to understand these issues better and then offer whatever perspective I can that reflects the needs of the community and that will assist in D300's continued focus in these areas.

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 D300 is doing a very good job in this area with the resources and relationships they have available to them. The two big factors in this area that I see as most challenging for their continued progression are 1) Expanse of district geography and making resources equitably available to all students 2) Inadequate funding from the State of Illinois. Clearly, these two issues go hand in hand in that if more funding from the State of Illinois were available, resources would be easier to offer equitably throughout the district.

As a D300 parent with a middle school and high school student, I see firsthand how some really well-intentioned and innovative programs offered by D300 are not able to be most equitably facilitated throughout our geographically-large district. Again, I believe our current administration is doing the best they can with what the resources we have available; but more adequate funding from the State of Illinois would fill some of the gaps we currently have as well as inspire our leadership to grow these programs even more. Overall, the result is more opportunities for successful transition (of any kind) for all D300 students.

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.

Having served as a board member for Northern Kane Educational Corp (charter school) for over 5 years and now serving as President of the D300 Food Pantry, I am accustomed to delving into budgets, identifying issues, and working conjunctively with other board members and administration to contend with discrepancies. If elected for the D300 Board, I would anticipate a learning curve regarding their budget and seek to meet with the district's financial department in order to gain more insight. As can be said about many facets of being a newly-elected board member, gaps in knowledge exist but can be alleviated by the proverbial "rolling up the sleeves" and getting to work - meeting with stakeholders, leadership, and community members to gain more insight, knowledge and the ability to differentiate reality vs. fiction. Particularly with budget issues, decisions such as cuts and/or tax increases cannot be determined inside a pillar or based upon incomplete data.

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.

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?

Negotiations are always a give and take with both sides making concessions, ultimately. It is my understanding that the D300 Board of Education and administration have enjoyed a very amicable, collaborative relationship with the union for the last several years. I am confident that both sides, in the spirit of arriving at a conclusion that is amenable for teachers, students, and the tax payers of our district, will come to the table with a willingness and openness to engage in interest-based negotiation with sincerity and dedication. This type of negotiation allows each party to provide additional insight and explanation for their requests while also making sure each party's perspectives are accounted for, heard, and considered. At the conclusion of the negotiations, teachers' concerns must be acknowledged and met when possible while not placing the financial security of the district in jeopardy.

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 think that the baseline assumption here is that the Superintendent (or other administrator) is currently being paid an equitable, fair market, and sustainable salary. Suggesting that the Superintendent's salary be adjusted solely to impact pension benefits is difficult to justify based on essential elements of responsible overall fiscal/budget management. As a former Human Resources professional, I would have to take into account all the factors and data involved before making a final conclusion. However, my first reaction is that this practice would not be sustainable in the long run and overall not reflect healthy fiscal management or employee relations. The Board of Education is ultimately accountable for the use of public funds (aka tax dollars). A practice such as this could chip away at the credibility of a well-intentioned board if the practice is not managed carefully and eventually eradicated.