Bob Friend: 2021 candidate for Glenbard High School District 87

Eight candidates are squaring off for four, 4-year seats on the Glenbard High School District 87 board in the April 6 election. Robert (Bob) Friend of Lombard is vying for a seat with fellow incumbents, Jennifer M. Jendras of Glen Ellyn, Mireya Vera of Lombard, and Judith Weinstock of Glen Ellyn, and newcomers Cyndi Covelli of Lombard, Nicole Dawson of Glen Ellyn, David Dejanovich of Glen Ellyn, and Kermit Eby of Lombard.

They responded to a Daily Herald questionnaire seeking their thoughts on some of the most pressing issues facing the district.

Below are Friend's responses.

In-person early voting with paper ballots begins Feb. 25 at DuPage County Fairgrounds Building 5, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton. In-person early voting with touch-screen voting begins March 22 at locations throughout the county. Learn more at www.dupageco.org/earlyvoting/.

Eight candidates for four, 4-year terms

Bio

Town: Lombard

Age: 68

Occupation: Retired from United Parcel Service

Civic involvement: I have served on the District 87 board since 2009, having served on the District 44 school board for 10 years. I served on the Tri-Town YMCA board of directors. I am an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Lombard, serving on the board of trustees and Men's Club. I am the chairman of the DuPage Division of the Illinois Association of School Boards.

Q&A

Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?

A: I am running for reelection because I want to continue supporting the excellent work the district teachers and leadership team do to raise the bar and challenge students to become lifelong learners. It is a board member's responsibility to encourage and find resources to enable the staff and administration to develop ways for students to prepare for jobs and professions that they enjoy and perform to their highest potential. In our ever-changing world, we must prepare students to make career decisions that match the job market, their interests, and their skills.

I believe that my local, state, and national experience with school practices equips me to offer well-founded guidance to the district.

Q: How would you grade the current school board on its response to the pandemic? Why?

A: I feel the district has done a good job in responding to the pandemic. It has been an ongoing learning process for the board and staff for the past 11 months. Initially, no one knew how many serious implications the pandemic would have for the students and district; nor could we have anticipated how long this situation would last. We worked hard to incorporate the guidance of the health department, state guidelines, and national directives into the school setting. From day one, the top consideration was the health and well-being our students, faculty, and staff. New protocols, facility cleaning and maintenance practices, staff training, student instruction, and family communications, were implemented based on the best information available from the state and county. We worked to develop methods allowing for student attendance, while maintaining social distancing. This was a major challenge when classes typically accommodate 30 students, and were required to be reduced to 15.

Q: How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities?

A: I believe that my role has been that of being a good listener to all district stakeholders throughout the pandemic. I pursued information from state and national sources and used multiple resources to make educated decisions on the problems we faced. I wanted to do the best for all involved. I work hard to not be confrontational with board members, community members, or staff. This allows the district to do the best for all.

Q: Did your district continue to adequately serve students during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to continue providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.

A: In light of the mitigations and health concerns, I believe that students were adequately served. Fortunately, the district already provided iPads for all students. This put our students in a better position than those in many other districts. Remote learning had already been approved for snow days, so there were plans for such in place. Clearly, the demands of remote learning were much greater with the pandemic, but the basics for remote learning were already available. Ongoing adjustments were made to continually improve the students' experience.

During the spring of 2020, district staff worked with parents and the district technology department to determine how to better serve students remotely. It was immediately learned that we needed to install more than 150 hot spots so all students could access learning.

During the summer, we sought input from faculty and staff to make technology upgrades, acquired licenses for new software, and improved services in order to allow teachers to better provide remote and in-person instruction for the Fall of 2020. To protect the safety of students and staff the following was also completed in the summer. Equipment to perform temperature screenings was installed in all buildings to check all who enter. Students were provided with a health screening app which asks questions that must be answered by students each day before boarding a bus or entering a building.

Q: Do you have a plan on how to safely and effectively conduct classes in the spring? What have you learned from the fall semester that you would change in the spring?

A: Yes, there is a plan to effectively conduct classes this spring. We continue to follow CDC guidelines which provide clear direction on how many students can be served in-person at one time. To do so, we offer remote and hybrid learning options. To provide a safe on campus learning and working environment, we implemented a COVID-19 saliva screening test for all teachers, students, staff, and third-party contractors. Screenings are done weekly to identify those with infections. These screenings are also required for students who choose to learn remotely, but wish to participate in extracurricular activities and sports at the buildings. Contact tracing and isolation/quarantine protocols were established related to this testing.

An improvement from last fall, is that staff are communicating regularly with parents of our life skills students, and students with one or more "F" grades, to encourage these students to participate in the hybrid learning model.

Another improvement this spring is that when additional spaces in hybrid classes are identified, these spaces are made available for students who wish to attend two additional days (four total) of hybrid learning.

Additional study groups are available this spring for all students who need greater support. This is a part of our commitment to not let students fall through the cracks during this time.

Q: What is your position on allowing high school sports to continue during the pandemic? Be specific.

A: I believe that high sports can continue, with precautions, during the pandemic. Precautions such as masks, social distancing when not in direct competition, individual and disposable water bottles, and sanitation procedures specific to each sport are needed. Indoor facilities must meet appropriate ventilation requirements. Sports provide students with competitive opportunities, physical activity, and a sense of belonging. Sports also provide a platform on which students can develop skills and confidence. Sports may also provide opportunities for students to earn scholarships.