Paula Yensen: 2023 candidate for Huntley Unit District 158 school board, 4-year term

Bio

Town: Lake in the Hills

Age on Election Day: 74

Occupation: Retired

Employer: None

Previous offices held: McHenry County Board from 2009-2022; Village of Lake in the Hills Board from 2001-2008

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: When I learned that the Huntley school board planned to take the maximum tax increase allowed by state law, I was surprised. When I found out that district student enrollment is down by over 1,000 since 2018 and high school chronic absenteeism is over 25 percent, I was shocked. It seems we are paying more for poorer performance. It just doesn't add up for me.

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

A: The primary role of the school board should be to ensure that all students in the district are getting the best education possible. We do that by attracting and retaining the best teachers possible and building a curriculum focused on equipping our children to be the leaders of tomorrow. The board should collaborate with the professional staff to set goals for common-sense education.

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

A: We must ensure that all students, regardless of family background, talent or personal aspirations, get the best education we can provide. With a high school chronic absenteeism rate of over 25 percent and nearly 15 percent for lower grades, it means a significant number of our students don't value what the schools are offering. We need to find out why that is and fix it. Our students should be excited to come to school, not looking for reasons to escape.

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: My role will be to find consensus. True leadership means knowing when to persuade and when to be persuaded. I've never shied away from supporting unpopular positions when I knew I was right. But I spend more time listening to my constituents than I do trying to convince them to agree with me. Conflict is an essential part of forming public policy. If there is no conflict, there is no growth. We can't get better if we are afraid of difficult dialogue.

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 COVID-19 pandemic revealed how fragile our supply chain is, for everything from medical supplies to food and other basic necessities. We were unprepared. That weakness intensified the harm to our community early on, and contributed to the divisions that turned a public health crisis into a politically charged struggle. We know there will be another pandemic, and the next one might be much more serious. It might be a different pathogen, and it may be years away, but it will happen. We need to be ready for it so that we can respond immediately and effectively with minimum disruption to education. That means pandemic planning should be a major discussion in setting the district's budget.

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've been in leadership roles my entire professional life. I've worked as an executive director with boards of directors to guide policy and financial decisions for large and small organizations. As a municipal elected official, I worked hard to find creative solutions that my fellow trustees could support. As a county board member, I was often chosen to chair important committees because my colleagues on both sides of the aisle appreciated my honesty, bi-partisanship and work ethic. Group dynamics can often be contentious and frustrating. In my experience, mutual respect for differences of opinion is the first step toward making good decisions.

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

A: I have a Ph.D. in education, but I am most definitely not an academic. While my university training taught me to be rigorous in my thinking, my decades of experience outside academia has taught me to be open minded and open to new ideas. I have taught adult professionals at the college level as well as GED classes for youthful offenders. Because of that wide range of experience, I see the potential for growth in everyone, including myself. I know I don't have all the answers. What I do know is that I will work very hard to ask the right questions.

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

A: Twenty-five percent chronic absenteeism in our high school is appalling. It's terribly disruptive to the learning environment for everyone, not just the absent students. We cannot allow this to continue. Stronger enforcement of attendance is necessary, but if we were providing a rewarding experience for all students, not just the high achievers, absenteeism would drop significantly. We need to make school, whether it's remote or in person, blended or traditional, an experience that excites students. Our children only get one chance to be children. We need to help them make the most of it.