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Melissa M. Maiorino: 2023 candidate for Huntley Unit District 158 school board, 4-year term

Bio

Town: Huntley

Age on Election Day: 54

Occupation: Not given

Employer: Not given

Previous offices held: District 158 board member since 2019

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: In 2019, I ran for school board on issues that I am not only passionate about but are important to our families and community. I made a firm and unwavering commitment to advocate for our special needs students and their families, to find solutions and remedies to combat bullying, and to bring awareness and change to the sexual culture in our schools. I sought to address the factors of distracted learning. While I understand these topics are often difficult to address or discuss, we, as the adults tasked with making the best decisions for our students, staff and community, must have the conversations that were overshadowed by COVID and pushed to the back burner.

Now, post COVID, these topics and their impact on student learning are more important and prevalent than ever and I want to finish the work I started so our students have the best opportunity to absorb all that Huntley District 158 has to offer.

Q: What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring curriculum?

A: Through feedback from our stakeholders and community members, the school board sets desired goals and expectations of the district to be achieved by the superintendent and his/her staff. The set goals are created by factoring the district's mission and purpose. Naturally, every school district is going to have a goal to meet or exceed growth in areas of math and reading.

The school board's role in setting and monitoring curriculum is to guide the superintendent by clearly communicating goals that consist of parameters for expected outcomes. The superintendent is then tasked with executing a plan to achieve set goals by utilizing his/her staff to seek out, research and vet appropriate learning programs in order to implement a curriculum that meets the set goals. The school board then monitors progress data to ensure the district is moving in the right direction, and receives performance analysis or explanation for whether we are meeting, exceeding or falling short of expected progress.

Q: Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board?

A: We should always be looking at curriculum issues and current trends for enhanced learning throughout our district. Our Personal Pathways of Learning gives our high school students a choice and voice for how they learn best. Our college and career readiness platform, School Links, guides 6-12 grade students on navigating their path after high school. With these pathways and platforms in place, we need to shift our focus to the causes and impact of distracted learning.

We've focused so much on keeping up with the new and improved that we've lost sight of the value of traditional classes like citizenship. Classes that help children learn and experience what being a good classmate is, how to take pride in their neighborhood, and develop their individual commitment to their community. Children need causes that are meaningful to them as individuals. When children's ideas and values are validated and nurtured, they develop and gain a respect for their peers and their classroom environments.

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: The role and authority of a school board member is often misunderstood, and requires an eye opening learning curve. It's not an easy pill to swallow when you want to get involved in things that are outside of your authority.

I firmly believe all stakeholders have the right to express their concerns, ideas and opinions, even if they are unique, unpopular or contrary to my own. I consider all opinions as having value and providing insight for growth opportunities. I am also of the mindset that when community members seek to preserve their individual family values, it does not come from a place of malice, but rather an attempt to protect their fundamental convictions, morals and beliefs in the best interest of their children based on their personal experiences. I continually strive to make decisions that are in the best interest of all students and staff, while adhering to state and federal education laws.

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: The biggest lesson I learned from the COVID pandemic is the importance of quickly mitigating the negative impact on our student and staff populations, as well as the community as a whole. Even through the unknowns, we must acknowledge the needs of the families we serve. We cannot take a one size fits all approach for our students or our staff. Hindsight is always 20/20, but in retrospect, if faced with another massive outbreak, I would probe harder to ensure we aren't excluding one sub group of students for another, or dismissing the requests from families communicating to us about their child's or family's needs. Yes, most students do need the in-person educational experience and interactions with their peers, however equally valid are the students who needed or thrived in a remote setting. The same holds true for our staff. I hope we all learned the importance of flexibility, give and take and to extend compassion and respect for each other about circumstances we may not understand.

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: When working to modify existing or establish new policies, my goal has always been to promote a collaborative environment where each member of the group feels comfortable and confident in sharing their thoughts and ideas without ridicule, defense or humiliation. I would describe my style as one of organization and logic. I start by either explaining or allowing others to explain why we need a new or updated policy. Whether I agree with the new or modified policy proposal, I listen with respect and acknowledge the other person's point of view. I list the pros, cons, possible legal ramifications, potential cost, as well as who all would be affected by the new policy or its change. I believe it is important to keep an open mind in order to learn, make informed decisions, and achieve common ground. My style for managing school district policy ensures an opportunity for the school board to collectively and successfully make decisions in the best interest of our stakeholders.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: The past four years have afforded me the opportunity to grow in ways I never could have imagined. Participating in various action committees, strategic planning sessions, attending student events such as concerts, plays, RAD events, Leos Club, the suicide awareness walk, and simply talking with students of all ages has taught me so much about the diverse needs and successes of the community I was elected to serve. Meeting and talking with parents who trusted me with their personal situations, listening and empathizing without defending or downplaying and helping them navigate first steps has been fulfilling and rewarding. I spend time preparing for meetings, and I attend personal development training not only through the Illinois Association of School Boards, but in my work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and a SA Medical Advocate. These opportunities combined have shaped who I am today and have given me the knowledge, compassion, desire and drive to continue representing all stakeholders of Huntley District 158.

Q: What's one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet?

A: As with any aspect of education, partnerships with parents and the community are crucial for any process to work. Bridging the gap between where school ends and home begins requires a conscious effort from stakeholders. Year after year it seems incidents of bullying are not only more frequent, but the acts have become bolder and more egregious. The district simply cannot combat bullying on its own. We need community buy in.

I believe it is time to come together as a community of current and former students, parents, mentors, and business owners and pledge to put an end to bullying. Let's strive to instill confidence in all students; victims and aggressors alike. Let's work to understand why a bully bullies and mentor, support and redirect the behavior. Let's support victims of bullying and empower them to heal and grow. I have been working with a representative from Stand for the Silent and have started the process of forming our own chapter here in 158. It's time to end the bullying.

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