Michael Bryant: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Michael (Mike) Bryant

City: St. Charles

Office sought: D303 Board of Education

Age: 37

Family: Molly (wife), Cade (10), Cole (8), Cooper (6)

Occupation: Business Education Teacher

Education: BA in Education from Illinois State University, MA in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University

Civic involvement: I am actively involved with St. Charles Youth Baseball and volunteer for various school activities and community organizations when opportunities arise or there is need

Previous elected offices held:

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected?

Website: www.bryant4board.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MikeBryant4Board/

Issue questions

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

One of the most important issues we can focus on as a district and community is social and emotional health. Students in our community and country are facing challenges in the areas of social and emotional wellness at staggering rates. We need to address this through a systemic district approach by providing additional programming, universal interventions, and more resources in our schools. Our district also lacks a long-term strategic plan, and I would like to see one created. I also believe the construction of Thompson Middle School, usage of the Haines property, and building utilization are important issues. I am also interested in finding ways to give educators more resources to adapt and transform their classrooms into spaces for 21st century learning. If we expect our students to be college and career ready, our learning environments must reflect that. A lack of transparency, trust, and open communication are all issues our school board currently faces. School districts handle the community's two most precious resources; children and money. Decisions made by the district need to be made with input from taxpayers, parents, businesses, students, and all staff.

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?

Academically, D303 is adequately preparing students for the next stage. D303 students routinely perform well on growth and proficiency assessments. I would like to more resources directed at specific groups (Special Education, ELL, etc.) of students to assist them in reaching academic goals. An area for growth would be to better prepare students for employment by teaching and emphasizing the importance of employability skills. Many employers feel that soft skills like collaboration, creativity, and time management are just as important as the technical skills necessary for the job.

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.

D303 has done a sound job over the last 5 years handling the district's finances. The district has regularly received "Recognition" designation by the Illinois State Board of Education and is projected to maintain healthy fund balances in the future. The D303 Board needs to continue to monitor any potential changes to pension reform or a property tax freeze from Springfield. I will not support any program cuts that would be detrimental to the students of D303, but I would be open to looking at cost-savings measures within the budget. I am a proponent of finding money within the working budget for new spending items, or finding other funding sources through state, federal, or private grants before considering a tax increase. It is important to find a careful balance between moving our schools forward and burdening us, the taxpayers.

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?

I am currently employed by the Batavia Public School District as a Business Education teacher. No, no members of my family are employed by D303. 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? High-quality staff and teachers are fundamental to the district. Those who work with and for our students every day are our greatest assets. I believe in competitive compensation and benefits, continued opportunities for professional growth both tied to district initiatives and to everyone's own professional goals and interests. I believe that D303 should be a place where everyone wants to work. As a school board member, it would be my responsibility to ensure that students are receiving the best possible education while still working within a responsible budget.

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, the Illinois General Assembly recently passed a pension reform bill that limits end of career raises to 3%. Any amount over the 3% would leave D303 with a substantial penalty. I will not support any pay increases over the 3% salary cap.