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Veronica Noland: 2021 candidate for Elgin Area School District U-46

Four candidates are running for three, 4-year terms on the Elgin Area School District U-46 board.

Bio

City: Elgin

Age: 54

Occupation: Consultant

Employer: Self-employed

Civic involvement: U-46 school board member 2013-present; active in First Congregational Church of Elgin

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 started in 2013 as a frustrated parent, and knew I would need a seat at the table in order to affect change. Fast forward to 2021, and I am running to continue to advocate from a parent's perspective. I'm particularly interested in issues related to equity and the achievement gap, and specialized student services, especially as they affect our most marginalized families. These concerns have been magnified with the current pandemic.

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

A. The Board has been keenly aware of the disparate opinions in the community related to the opening of schools during the pandemic. For the past 11 months we have closely monitored the district's response as it has evolved, along with the guidance from the various authorities. One area that I believe has been lacking is in clarifying for the public the many complexities that have informed our decisions. For that I would grade us as needing improvement.

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 our role is a combination of all three. U-46 is a large urban district with a broad constituency, and providing leadership is often unpopular even without a pandemic. As a board member, I do give voice to constituents even when we disagree, take the counsel of state authorities as available, and then use my vote to make the best decision possible.

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. U-46 was a leader in its pandemic response by immediately shifting gears to ensure no child went hungry due to the school closures. In addition, the district moved quickly to ensure all families had access to a device for online learning, and negotiated broadband arrangements for some families.

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. U-46 is currently providing both a hybrid model and a fully remote option for families. We learned that providing both in person and remote instruction simultaneously is not effective, which is why the current hybrid model separates them out. The downside is the decrease in instructional time. In order to get back to full in person instruction we need to get as many employees vaccinated as quickly as possible, which is why the district worked with health authorities to secure thousands of doses of the vaccine for it's employees.

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

A. Some high school sports lend themselves more easily than others to resuming during a pandemic. We could consider incorporating some type of COVID testing protocol in order to resume the highest contact sports.

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