Katherine (Kate) Policheri: 2023 candidate for Huntley Unit District 158 school board, 4-year term
Bio
Town: Union
Age on Election Day: 46
Occupation: Part-time pharmacist, mom and coach
Employer: Walgreens
Previous offices held: None
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?
A: This is my second time running for the school board. I feel that I have many ideas that would benefit our students. Supporting our teachers is a large part of student success. When we support our teachers with resources, technology and training, students directly benefit.
I am very passionate about special education. My oldest son has high-functioning autism. He has been very fortunate to have educators and support staff that genuinely want to help him be successful and the best version of himself. All of our students deserve that kind of support. The LIGHT program has caught my attention as parents of students in LIGHT have voiced their concerns in board meetings regarding the location of the program at Marlowe Middle School, experiences available to students, transportation, and an expected storefront. I look forward to engaging with the LIGHT parents and students in order to make that program be the best it can be for our students.
Q: What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring curriculum?
A: While the school board is responsible for approving the curriculum, the members of the school board often do not have the expertise required to evaluate curriculum. When the school board considers curriculum for approval, it listens to the recommendations about curriculum from the director, as he/she would have the expertise to evaluate curriculum to make sure they align with state standards and research-based best practices. The director also recommends the educational materials to be used to teach the curriculum to students. The board is given the opportunity to ask questions about the curriculum and materials.
The board is responsible for reviewing the curriculum recommendations and educational materials as they are on display for the board to review, and public as well. If the board chooses to approve the curriculum, it monitors data presented by administration, evaluates the results, and ensures students are progressing toward and meeting district goals.
Q: Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board?
A: First of all, the field of computer science is rapidly growing and has many options for careers. Computer science classes can be beneficial to just about any career as they teach problem-solving skills! However, our high school does not offer as many classes as I previously thought to assist in future certifications.
Secondly, parents have expressed their concerns about books teachers have selected for students to read as part of the curriculum. These books may contain sensitive subjects that some parents may not want their students exposed to for various reasons. However, parents always have the opportunity to opt their students out of reading material they believe to be sensitive and the student can receive another reading option. I believe it's important to remember that education is a partnership in which all stakeholders work toward the same goal. I believe it is important for parents to give feedback regarding the curriculum as everyone's students learn differently.
Q: How do you view your role in confronting policy or curriculum controversies: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities?
A: All of the above! As a board member, you are obligated to express your opinions even if unpopular. You also have to listen and respect the opinions of the other members of the board. You may agree with them or not, but you all must work together to do what's best for kids. Board members are elected by the community, so it's important to listen to the community and give them a voice, too. I may not agree with their views, but I can certainly understand why they feel the way they do about material in the curriculum or policy.
If someone brings a concern to me, it is my duty to share it with the board. Sometimes board members need to defer to state authorities. As we saw with the pandemic, it was new territory for everyone. The board and administration took guidance from the state board of education as well as the McHenry County Department of Health. Now that we have experience in dealing with a pandemic, we can modify guidelines in the future to fit the needs of our district.
Q: Concerns are growing regarding a new resurgence of the pandemic. If another massive outbreak of infectious disease occurs, what have we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that will guide your decision making?
A: Hindsight is 20/20. We know students learn better in-person. We know some students experienced learning loss and struggled mentally during this time. Knowing all of this, we need to keep the mental health of students and teachers in mind.
We need to provide our teachers with mental health resources and training to not only help our students, but to also help themselves. We need to provide our teachers with additional training in the area of remote learning so if another pandemic occurs, they will feel better prepared, more confident and, hopefully, less stressed, allowing them to focus on students. In turn, the students will have a more positive learning experience. As new technology emerges, we can evaluate it to see if it would be a good fit for our district. I think having a more proactive approach instead of a reactive approach will benefit both students and teachers. Keeping our students in school is always the best possible option and should always be the goal.
Q: Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach agreement and manage school district policy? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions of your school board.
A: I have participated on many committees and in groups, such as the Special Education Advisory Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee, where ideas are shared and discussed. The board is essentially a team that must work together. The team needs to respect and listen to each other in order for work to get done. Otherwise, everyone spins their wheels and remains at an impasse.
My style is that of a mediator. I listen to both sides and try to find common ground. I am good at appreciating someone else's view on a decision. Sometimes you have to agree to disagree and compromise. I think as long as we are all striving to do what's best for kids, and keeping our district mission statement in mind, we will always be moving in the right direction.
Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?
A: I have a strong connection to the community and schools. I have a strong belief in service and building relationships with members of the community. I could walk into any school and know students that I have coached in football or basketball, their siblings, or maybe I workout with their parents. I am involved in the school district through the Special Education Advisory Committee, met with administration when I have had questions or concerns, and often volunteered at the schools when my boys were young.
Last school year, I became involved with our HHS Medical Academy which is important to me because I never had the opportunities our students have had in the academy. I have set up job shadowing for our students interested in pharmacy with our local Walgreens pharmacies. Part of the school board's role is to engage with the community and work together to improve student achievement. I believe I can help improve the relationship between the community and the school board.
Q: What's one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet?
A: I would love for our district to create the position of Director of Inclusion and Equity. For a while now, I have been encouraging the district to incorporate the Nora Project. The Nora Project has developed programs that teach students about inclusion and empathy, specifically addressing disability and difference as part of human diversity. The truth is that inclusion goes far beyond disability.
Inclusion benefits everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, LGBQT+ or religion. A sense of belonging is crucial to students' health and well-being. It also leads to positive learning outcomes. Our district developed "An "Equitable Approach to Education Framework" in 2020. Having a director giving updates to the board and community about progress toward our goals would be helpful. A director surveying our students and staff would help ensure everyone's needs are being met Our district clearly believes inclusion and equity are important so let's make it someone's priority.