Julie Moon: 2023 Candidate for Glenview Community Consolidated School District 34 school board

Bio

Town: Glenview

Age on Election Day: 52

Occupation: chair for educational foundation and stay at home mom

Employer: N/A

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: I have supported District 34 for the past seven years in various volunteer roles, including the executive board of the Glenview Education Foundation (GEF), an educational foundation that supports District 34 grants. I am already invested in the district and have a desire to continue to serve the children and the community. I believe in the importance of strong public schools and want to ensure the district continues to provide the best education for all our kids. I also want to make sure that we are meeting the needs of all the students in our diverse student population. I welcome the opportunity to represent all constituents within the district by making the tough choices that continue to improve the schools, while also protecting the district's financial health. I would like to help set policy when the strategic plan is updated in 2024 to keep District 34 on the cutting edge of education.

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

A: The school board is responsible for understanding the needs of students and the community so it can base its curriculum policy decisions on those needs. Therefore, the school board must establish a constructive relationship with the teachers and school administration and stay informed of what is going on in the school and in the district. The school board's role is to adopt curriculum policy decisions as well as other policies necessary to manage and govern the schools. The superintendent turns those policies into the procedures used to manage the day-to-day district operations across all the schools. The school board monitors the superintendent's work to make sure the policies are being properly executed in all the school by setting goals and check in meetings. Since the strategic plan will be updated in 2024, the school board may have to revise certain policies to support the new plan.

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

A: The school board needs to be sure to provide equal access for all students regardless of income level, language spoken or any special needs. I also think the school boards needs to make sure it is addressing mental health challenges with respect to both the children and teachers. It might also be useful for teachers to receive additional professional development training to be able to manage the problems they are seeing in the classroom. I understand the importance of completing the referendum projects for equity across schools, but I also realize the need to keep the budget in check with rising costs. The school board needs to continue to think creatively to ensure all classrooms receive updates to their instructional learning spaces to optimize learning.

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: I understand the school board's role to serve the needs of all children and families in the district as well as those in the community not directly affiliated with the schools. I would welcome conversations with the community for a better understand of their opinions. I will listen and respect those opinions and concerns even if I disagree. I will also express my own opinions, which is necessary for honest open dialogue, even when discussing challenging and controversial topics.

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: Keeping kids in school is very important for both the ideal learning environment as well as avoiding mental health challenges associated with isolation. If another infectious disease occurs, the school board should base its decisions on the safety risks of the infectious disease for the kids, teachers, staff and their families. If it helps the kids stay in school, I would feel comfortable recommending masks. If there is a severe outbreak in the schools or the community, the schools are set up for the option to do zoom school so the learning loss should be less severe. However, the ultimate goal is to safely keep the kids in school.

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: For the past five years, I have been on a nine-person executive board of GEF. Similar to the school board, the GEF's executive board has an equal voice in the decisions. We work as a team to engage in discussion to reach a group decision. We then present the plan to the entire 33-member board for implementation. I would be comfortable working the same way on the school board. Everyone is given an equal voice, listening to other's opinions and then ultimately deciding the best policy together. In order to contribute to the discussion, I will be prepared for the meeting by reading and reviewing all the documents to be discussed. I will also listen to the opinions and concerns of other board members, teachers, administration and the community to understand the issues that impact the whole community.

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

A: During my five years on the GEF executive board, I had many interactions with the district administrators and teachers. I have learned much about District 34, which will ultimately help my transition onto the school board. I also have a unique understanding of some of the needs of the district through the numerous GEF grant requests we have received from the teachers and administration. My son has attended school in the district for over seven years, so as a parent, I have seen how the primary, secondary and middle schools are run. I am preparing now for my role on the school board by learning more about how the board functions by attending meetings. I also plan to talk to school board members, staff and the superintendent to learn more about the schools and the issues that will be facing the board. I will continue engaging in dialogue with constituents so I understand how to best represent the entire community.

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

A: I think it would be helpful for the school board to host breakfast meetings for the teachers/administrators who want to attend. I think it would be very insightful to better understand the needs of both the teachers and students. It will also help establish a stronger relationship with the teachers and school administration along with a better understanding of what is going on in the schools. I would also like to engage with the community by asking for their thoughts on a successful school district and their expectations for the school board. A survey might be helpful to capture this information.