Athena Arvanitis: 2021 candidate for Elmhurst Unit District 205 board

Six candidates are running for three, 4-year terms on the Elmhurst Unit District 205 board of trustees in the April 6 election. They are incumbents Kara Caforio and Jim Collins, and challengers Athena Arvanitis, T. Marie Gall, Laurel Schrementi and Gordon Snyder.

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

City: Elmhurst

Age: Didn't answer

Occupation: Assistant principal at New Trier Township High School

Civic involvement: Didn't answer

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 school board because I think it is important that we uphold the aspects of Elmhurst that make it a highly sought-after community. One of those aspects is our tradition of providing residents a strong quality of education. I am committed to ensuring our district offers a school environment the children of our community need and the residents of Elmhurst want. I believe we have an opportunity to change course and move forward, together.

As a seasoned school administrator in a high performing district with a highly engaged community, I have a thorough understanding of what effective partnership between the community, board of education and administration looks like. I know how to foster positive working relationships while representing the voice of the community. In my role, I operate on a continuous improvement model, which means we are constantly working to make things better. We, in Elmhurst, are fortunate to live in a highly engaged community that values education and strongly supports our schools. Feedback from all stakeholders as decisions are implemented is important and helps schools continue to improve the environment for students.

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

A: I think everyone is doing the best they can given very complicated circumstances. In hindsight, we can always identify moments when we could have made a different decision. I'd like to take a more forward-looking approach and focus on what we can do to ensure we are meeting student needs while maintaining the educational expectations of our community as we move toward and plan for next school year.

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: During this pandemic, districts have been given local authority to make decisions based on what is best for their community and the board of education plays a specific role of influence as the administration develops plans for educating our students. This role of influence ensures district plans reflect the values of the community. During a pandemic it is important to balance safety for all with the desires of the community.

In my leadership experience, every decision made is typically supported by well thought out reasoning, even if unpopular. In moments like this, effective communication with our community as a whole is critical, especially when there is a wide difference of opinion. As a member of the school board, I will work to provide transparency to the entire community, to reach a shared understanding of the wide range of perspectives, wants and needs. Moving forward, we must take on a mindset of continuous improvement as the administration implements their plans. An important factor to continuous improvement is gathering feedback from the community and using that feedback to continue to enhance the learning environment for students as the district moves forward.

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, and more specifically, our teachers and staff did what they could with what they had to adequately serve students during the disruptions caused by the pandemic. They worked tirelessly to reinvent teaching and learning and prioritized student social-emotional well-being while keeping students engaged in their learning. The pace of change during the pandemic, especially in the first 6 months, was significant for all schools. There were many unknowns, and guidance was changing daily making it feel, at times, nearly impossible to create a plan for the fall. Looking back it is easy to identify moments the district could have handled better. One specific item that could have been improved was communication with all stakeholders.

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: The district has implemented a safe and effective plan for our K-5 buildings that increases in-person learning and I am looking forward to seeing similar efforts in grades 6-12. I am in support of creative solutions that benefit our students and increase the amount of in-person learning they engage in every day and week. To do this, the district should continue efforts like increasing staff to ensure buildings are cleaned more frequently, ensuring adequate inventory of PPE like face masks and hand sanitizer, and other items needed to work with all students while enhancing the logistical plans to safely move in, out and throughout our buildings.

The data have shown that when internal measures such as mask wearing and enhanced cleaning are strong and strictly followed, the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools is low. We have learned that schools can absolutely be open for in-person learning and maintain a high level of safety. I'd like for us to pay close attention to what is best for students and continue to enhance the learning environment for all as we work toward getting back to full day, in-person learning.

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

A: The Illinois High School Association and Illinois State Board of Education, with consultation from the Illinois Department of Public Health, are the decision making bodies regarding the ability for high school sports to continue during the pandemic. The board's role in allowing sports to continue during this time is minimal to nonexistent. Personally, I believe sports and activities are healthy for students to engage in when safety measures are put in place (depending on the level of community transmission). I worry about long-term isolation and disengagement and the impact this may have on student mental health and well-being. Right now, I believe it is safe to play sports with strong safety measures in place, and I am pleased to see schools across the state reopening IHSA practices and competitions.