Taso Triantafillos: 2021 candidate for Addison Elementary District 4 board
Eight candidates are running for four, 4-year terms on the Addison Elementary District 4 board of trustees in the April 6 election.
They are incumbents Rudy Aranda, Zack Frangidakis and Jeremiah Lange, and challengers Taso Triantafillos, Eduardo Castillo Perez, Daniel Alexander Medina, Ellen M. Finizio and Christen Bollig. Finizio did not respond to the questionnaire.
The Daily Herald asked each candidate about issues facing the district and how they would contribute to its progress.
In-person early voting with paper ballots is now available at the 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/.
Bio
Town: Addison
Age: 44
Occupation: CEO, DefendEdge
Civic involvement: Former District 4 board member; community volunteer
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: Enjoy being involved in education and policymaking for our schools.
Q: How would you grade the current school board on its response to the pandemic? Why?
A: The school board is following the Illinois State Board of Education on all COVID-19 guidelines and recommendations, but was not prepared for the deployment and use of the necessary technology to support remote learning.
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 upbringing has provided me the ability to relate and understand the challenges faced by the majority in our community. It is our responsibility to ensure all our community member families are helped to be successful in these difficult times.
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: Yes, our community continued to provide meals and various other necessary programs to support the most impacted students in our community. However, we could have done more with after-school remote initiatives to help engage our children during the pandemic.
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 are several national communities who have learned a great deal and published those findings with recommendations. I will encourage our board and administration explore all options.
Q: What is your position on allowing high school sports to continue during the pandemic? Be specific.
A: I believe coaches, parents, and students should be allowed to make the decision on how they want to proceed. There are several sports that could easily return, and have proven to take the necessary precautions to limit any spread of many infectious diseases.