Janene Harris: 2021 candidate for Lincolnshire-Prairie View Dist. 103 school board
Seven candidates are seeking the four Lincolnshire-Prairie View Dist. 103 school board seats in the April 6, 2021, election.
Bio
Age: 48
City: Vernon Hills
Occupation: Program manager, health care industry
Civic involvement: I do not have experience running for office or being on a public board.
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'm motivated by being able to get involved with my community in a way that I haven't in the past. Being able to support our great school district in its long term plan to keep providing an exceptional education to our community is a privilege. I am most interested in understanding how we put in place the best support for our students for their long-term growth and how we stay on top of new and innovative ways to educate our student body.
Q: How would you grade the current school board on its response to the pandemic? Why?
A: I applaud all the people who have stepped up during this time to make critical decisions in an uncertain environment.
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: My role is to listen to all voices of our community with compassion and understanding as well as the expert guidance from the scientific community to understand the best paths to move forward and adjust those paths as the environment changes.
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: Given the changing environment, my school did a great job of supporting students during the pandemic and continued to improve throughout this challenging time. I feel providing both online and in classroom options when safe to do so was helpful and provided flexibility to parents. Teachers adapted to these new environments quickly while taking into account the impact on students and working with them to manage through challenges.
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: I would defer to the guidelines offered by the CDC and our scientific community. In the fall, there was limited time and limited information to plan. Now, we have more experience and understanding to support where to make changes to improve the classroom experience both in person and online.
Q: What is your position on allowing high school sports to continue during the pandemic? Be specific.
A: No applicable as this is not a high school board.