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Jodee Dunham: 2021 candidate for Glen Ellyn District 41 school board

Eight candidates are vying for four seats (four-year term) in the 2021 Glen Ellyn District 41 school board race.

Bio

City: Glen Ellyn

Age: 45

Occupation: Merchandise Buyer at Amy Storm and Company

Civic involvement: On the board for Wyldlife

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 have decided to run for the board of education because I would like to take on a larger role within my community and have a positive impact on the district where my family lives and my children attend school. I would like to make the board more accessible to the community and create an atmosphere of transparency, by meaningful collaboration and honest communication. If elected I am looking forward to making strategic and thoughtful decisions for the school district.

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

A. While I do not feel comfortable giving the current board a grade regarding their response to the pandemic, moving forward I would like to see a more proactive approach to the changing metrics of the pandemic rather than a reactive response.

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 feel that communication between the community and the board, has to be forthright and open to input. The choices and decisions being made affect their district and children, and as stakeholders they deserve no less. We have so many amazing resources available with the people that live in our community, it would be remiss not to utilize those resources to find solutions to obstacles that need to be overcome.

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. Our district was able to supply all of the children with Chromebooks in order to allow for remote learning, that is an amazing advantage that many children across the nation may not have had available to them. The remote learning curriculum did advance over the summer in comparison to the previous spring.

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 am not currently on the board so unfortunately I will be unable to affect the decisions of classes for this spring.

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

A. I am running for an elementary school board so this question is not applicable.

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