Elizabeth “Beth” Hosler: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Elizabeth “Beth” Hosler

City: Elmhurst

Office sought: District 205 School Board member

Age: 47

Family: My husband Bob and I have 3 children, ages 15, 14 and 11. We both grew up in Elmhurst and attended D205 schools. We are proud to be

Elmhurst residents and cherish the fact that we are still surrounded by our family and friends that we grew up with.

Occupation: I stay at home with my children right now and I'm an active volunteer in the community

Education: Associates Degree in Science from the College of DuPage

Civic involvement:

I have volunteered in our schools for the past 10 years. I have served as PTA President at both Edison and Sandburg. I've spent the last 9 years as an elected member of at least one PTA board and 4 of those years serving on Elmhurst PTA council. I am currently a member of the All-Day Kindergarten committee and I was Selected for the D205 Community Advisory Team. I was a leader this past fall on the Ballot Initiative Committee to educate the community and help pass the referendum for our schools. I was a recipient of the school board's Shining Star Award for exemplary service on the Yes for D205 grassroots campaign. I am currently on the Sandburg PTA board and am Co-VP of programs on the PTA council. For the past 5 years I have been a team manager for one or more Team Elmhurst Soccer Club teams.

Previous elected offices held: I have not run for a political office in the past.

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? No

Website: hoslerfor205.com

Facebook: Beth Hosler for Elmhurst District 205 School Board

Twitter: No

Issue questions

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

This fall, our community came together and passed a referendum for $168 million for improvements at all of our schools. One of the most important things facing our district in the coming years is in the planning and construction that will be done under that plan. We need to be sure that there is good collaboration so that sound decisions are made that will get our schools where they need to be as outlined in the Master Facilities Plan and get there on time and on budget.

This upcoming process and accountability is one of the reasons I am so passionate about running for the school board. I worked tirelessly on the Ballot Initiative Committee for the referendum and want to make sure that the promises made to the community are upheld and that we are good stewards of the taxpayers' investment. There are already good systems in place to involve all stakeholders in the community in the decision-making process for our new buildings and programs. I intend to make sure this teamwork continues, and I wholeheartedly believe in good communication and transparency so that all residents feel truly invested in creating strong schools that are the foundation of this community.

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 wholeheartedly agree with the “College and Career ready” model that District 205 is following. I feel our district needs to support both the college bound and career focused students to the best of their ability. One thing that D205 has done to support that model is offer more courses at York High school that immerse students in various career settings. For instance, the Invite to Teach, Medical Careers Pathway and Business Incubator programs. The job market of the future will look much different than the job market we know today. We need to continue to be forward thinking and flexible in our curriculum development so that students not only learn what career options are available to them but can also get some hands-on opportunities in those careers through classes offered at York. This will help them make sound choices for life after high school and have the requirements they need to select colleges and career paths that are right for them.

I would like to see even more guidance for our students and families in their decision making process so that they end up on the best path possible to reach their career goals. In order to start career exploration even sooner, I would like to see some more diverse acceleration classes at the middle school level to help students know what they are drawn to or excel in as they move on to high school.

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.

Staying on, or under budget with the projects outlined in the referendum will be very important in the coming years. As we build new facilities and improve older ones, there will be opportunities to create more efficient systems that will save the district money in the long term. This should be a goal throughout the construction process as it would help to cut costs in areas that will not affect programs and staffing.

Attracting and retaining good staff to our district is essential, and we would need to keep that in mind when looking at our budget. As a district, we need to regularly assess and scrutinize our systems to be sure funds are spent wisely in areas that are beneficial to the District mission.

Taxes in Illinois are one of the highest in the nation. Property taxes are a big part of that. Our community just came together and voted to invest in our schools with the referendum. Moving forward, we should avoid raising property taxes any further and with sound investments and decisions as a district, I believe we can do that.

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?

I truly value our educational staff at all levels. These are the people who spend every day with our students, invested in their learning and social emotional development. As I stated earlier it is critical to attract skilled employees. When negotiating contracts, we need to have a clear understanding of the market, which will enable us to determine if our current compensation and benefits are at a level that will attract and retain talented people. It is also essential to look back at past contracts and be sure to create a balance over time. Collaboration and open communication is of the utmost importance in this process. At the end of the day, the Board's role is to balance being fiscally responsible with our tax dollars while maintaining a talented employee base and positive work environment.

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 not support a substantial increase in pay prior to retirement to boost pension benefits. It makes more sense to me to have a competitive salary over the long term for these employees instead of spiking it in the last few years and adding to the pension problem that IL already faces.