Activist Toolkit

1. What motivates you to seek this office? What makes you qualified to serve? What metrics of success do you plan on holding yourself accountable to?

Serving on the Board of Education allows me to be an agent of change within my community. As a son of immigrant parents, I know how valuable a tool that an education can be – it is a great equalizer. I am living proof of that. I am a servant leader within the  community in which I live through the Cub Scouts and have previously served as a mentor within the  Junior Achievement program. I am also a father of three children and will work tirelessly so that they can have a quality education so that they can flourish.  

Here are the goals I would like to accomplish: 

• Increase student instruction significantly to at least match our neighboring districts.

• Leverage technology to better engage with the community and students 

• Re-enforce support systems that are vital to our student body 

2. How do you make decisions? How do you handle working with others with whom you disagree?

As a data engineer, I focus on data-driven decisions. I always have a spreadsheet on hand to crunch those numbers. As an analytical person, I consult the data to understand what the next step may be. 

Assume positive intent with those that disagree, they may have a point that can help you strengthen your argument. Be willing to listen and give others the respect to voice their opinions.  

3. How will you work to ensure that District 209 provides an excellent educational experience for all its students?

This requires efforts towards building relationships at all levels of the educational spectrum – from the elementary schools through our partnership with Triton College. It’s imperative that we have continuity programs in place.  

Support services need to be examined as well. As an IT professional, it is mind-numbing that the district IT is a skeleton crew. I know I would audit the structure. It’s not functional and hanging by a thread.  

My colleague, Jenny, would like to prioritize re-establishing committees to help oversee the execution of  our plans and I agree. 

Above all, it requires establishing metrics to measure. We cannot progress if we don’t know where we are aiming.

4. How would you approach the budgeting process? What is the per student spending on curriculum at Proviso now? What is recommended for best practices for the average student at District 209? How does that spending vary by school (East, West, PMSA)? 

First and foremost, a root cause analysis to understand why we spend 29% of the budget on student instruction. That is far too low when compared to neighboring districts. The analysis will highlight areas for adjustment. Equipped with this information, we can then begin to plan on higher student instruction  and aim for a reasonable target. 

As for facts and figures, per Illinois Report Card, student spending was around $17k. The district also spent $9k per student on capital projects and debt service last year. The per student spending varies across the three schools and is determined by the percent of low-income students that attend that school.

5. What would you say to voters who are worried about the tax burden?

Prior to 2020, the district, for a brief moment was in the black. This is a testament of the arduous work toward sensible spending. However, the actions of the last 2.5 years have nullified those efforts. The question isn’t centered on  funding, but rather how can we best maximize the funds currently accessible now. I would make every effort to avoid raising taxes. My first inclination is to address expenses and mismanagement of funds. An  audit will be necessary and then establish a plan for excess funds to be directed toward student-centric  activities. 

There are other means of additional funding without and impact to the taxpayer. We can work with our elected officials, both local and state governments to secure endowments and other funding. 

6. Special education is mandated by federal law. Recently, District 209 pulled out of its relationship with the Proviso Area for Exceptional Children (PAEC) consortium, to in-house services. How have you tracked the results of that move, and how can District 209 better work to provide an excellent education for students in need of special education?

It’s imperative to re-establish the relationship with PAEC  because it has been severed for the last 2.5 years. I’m not privy to much information since I’m not on the board, but I’ve had a conversation with an individual that serves on the board for PAEC. They told  me that the superintendent has never contacted them even though there technically is a contract. This  is something that we already pay into and don’t currently utilize. 

7. Since the 1960s, Proviso high schools have had a tense relationship with the communities that it services, arguably due to issues related to race and class. How do you propose to better educate all community members and ensure they support our public high schools?

Race and socio-economic status are contentious issues. We are witnessing a change in demographics – namely from African American to  Latino. Almost two-thirds of the student population is Latino. This change is also evident within towns historically known for being predominately African American. As a Latino I know the challenges associated with living a rapidly changing neighborhood. 

Change is difficult, but through engagement with organizations both internal and external to the district  is necessary to navigate these waters. Organizations such as the Coalition for Spiritual and Public  Leadership (CSPL) have spearheaded initiatives to mend an ever-changing community.  

We’ll need to identify other avenues to engage the community. That may be workshops in libraries, townhalls, etc. We also need to leverage the knowledge and repertoire of local leaders to commence building trust. 

8. How do you define equity? Have recent events and discussions in the larger community informed or changed your thinking?

To me, equity is recognizing that imbalanced social systems exist and taking steps to address the imbalance. It includes understanding, considering the students’ situations and  working towards an answer. We must understand that every student’s experience may vary, and it is  important that our students voice their concerns. An example that comes to mind is our non-English speaking communities. They are at a disadvantage, not only because of the language but because of  differences in customs and livelihoods. The solution here is to provide both parent and student the  resources necessary to succeed in the classroom. It is this feedback loop that will help us better the  Proviso Experience for our student body.  

9. Proviso has recently re-invested in its career and technical education curriculum (auto shop, culinary lab, etc.). How can Proviso ensure its investments in these programs are successful and balanced with the needs of students pursuing a career in trade vs those who wish to pursue higher academics? 

There  are many trade unions and institutions that are interested with partnering with the district. Let’s work to  leverage those relationships. These unions can serve as mentorships and pathways to careers for those individuals interested in trades. 

10. A student organization, “Students for a Better Proviso”, has raised concerns about conditions in the school - including a teacher shortage that could impact the ability of students to graduate, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating buildings, etc. Would you establish lines of communication with students who have concerns and address their concerns? And if so, how would you address their concerns?

Some of our educational institutions already have this established but having a student representative  to the board is essential. We would have a student rep from each building, so as we rotate through the  buildings for board meetings, we get the unique perspective from the student body. This not only  provides a voice to our students but establishes a relationship between the board and student body. 

11. The School Board’s primary responsibility is oversight of the Superintendent. What criteria will you use to evaluate the success of District 209 Superintendent James Henderson?

There are several time-lagged metrics that we can use, which are both short-term and long-term. Achievement of short-term goals eventually build up into the long-term ones. 

Long-term goals:  

• Positive year-over-year (YoY) Graduation Rates 

• Positive YoY 9th grade on-track trend 

• Less than 5% gap between planned student spend and actual student spend • Balanced Budget 

• Class sizes limited to no more than 25 students 

Short-term goals: 

• Bussing and transportation – buses on-time 80% 

• Addressing complaints on nutrition  

• Addressing community feedback – gathered from both inside and outside of school board  meetings 

12. As elected public officials, school board members have fiduciary responsibility to the school district and have an obligation to provide financial oversight and accountability. Superintendent Henderson has been asked to repay $91,000 in alleged improper spending to his previous district in Mississippi, which is now under state financial oversight; an audit found material weaknesses in internal financial controls. Please discuss District 209’s internal financial controls. What (if any) structural changes need to be made in order to guarantee District 209’s fiscal soundness and integrity?

The key here is to establish systematic ways to audit the finances.  

Put in place strict guidelines and measures to avoid misuse of district funds. This would include credit card limits. Have text messages automatically send when a charge goes over a certain threshold and make it public. 

Enable better reporting for our community. It is burdensome to sift through the bill list. This sort of information should be easily available raw as an Excel or CSV as well as in an analyzed, summarized report from the CFO. I would encourage the community to scrutinize the contents therein. 

One such way is through leveraging machine learning models. We can train a model to determine anomalies in spending, especially as it relates to the credit card. 

13. District 209 has had a contentious relationship with its teachers and is facing a shortage of teachers exacerbated by a nationwide shortage of teachers. Please discuss how the district could bring more teachers, proficient in working with students from a wide array of backgrounds, into the classroom.

We need to change the culture. The retaliatory practices don’t bode well with prospects. Let’s be honest, would anyone want to have a career in an institution knowing that they may reprimanded for asking questions.  

Many educators have expressed interested incentive programs to further their careers, which includes paid higher education. I had a situation where one educator had a list of great, low-cost ideas that would enhance the culture. These ideas don’t necessarily have to carry a hefty price tag. Actively working with our educators can be the catalyst for reinvigorating our staff. Let’s work with them to  enhance their students’ experience. 

14. There has been a lot of discussion locally and nationally about the presence of police in school buildings. What is your vision for a safe school environment? How do police officers in the schools relate to that vision?

A safe school environment is one where students can thrive and not worry about reckless behavior. As a data-driven professional, I had to consult various sources to form an opinion. Many sources indicate that  it’s detrimental to our student’s to student’s learning. Mental health is at the core of these issues and  alternative methods may be needed to address this. Methods such as input from social workers and counselors, updated training, etc.

15. What lessons learned from the pandemic’s early years do you believe will continue to be applicable to the ways that schools operate?

The pandemic increased the number of telecommuters and remote learners, through programs such as  Microsoft Teams and Zoom. I believe we should leverage Teams/Zoom for conferences with teachers.  This makes it convenient to connect parents and teachers.

Remote learning tools may also be used at times when physically attending school isn’t possible, such as when inclement weather occurs.

16. Public schools have been faced with deciding whether or not to remove books from their shelves if a parent or group of parents deem the content to be inappropriate, too controversial or objectionable. How would you handle this issue and how should District 209 handle this question?

This is a delicate issue, but one that must be addressed because it touches upon so many themes. I feel it violates First Amendment Rights. Oftentimes, the voices of minority groups are repressed via book banning. Books allow for different perspectives and insights.  

Aside from that, I hope everyone sees the irony in banning the classic novel, 1984.  

17. Do you see a role for the Board in ensuring that the climate at District 209 schools is welcoming to students in minority populations, whether racial, religious identity, LGBTQ, etc.? How are the schools assessing the experience of students now? What specific actions or policies would you propose? 

The  board must set the tone for culture and climate. To my knowledge, not much is being done to ensure that the school is welcoming to minority populations, but that will change as we actively engage with our communities. I would invite feedback from minority populations to better understand how the board can be more engaging. 

18. A new report issued by the Centers of Disease and Control found that in 2021, very large numbers of students experienced poor mental health. Twenty-two percent of students seriously considered attempting suicide and ten percent attempted suicide. Our District has had many tragic losses in the past few years to suicide. These feelings were found to be more common among LGBTQ+ students, female students, and students across racial and ethnic groups. What can D209 do to address this trend?

As a data professional and, as a person, that statistic and trend saddens me. Internally, we need a robust support system. We need more counselors with adequate, up-to-date training. Externally, we need to reinforce our relationships within the community. There are local services we can leverage to the benefit of both the district and student. 

19. In 2015, sitting board members were challenged because they sat on the Board while not personally sending their high school age children to D209 schools. Where do you stand on a person sitting on a Board of Education but not sending their own kids to that school, especially during the term they are seeking election for?

I believe having a child attend the schools offers a unique perspective. It also serves as having skin in the game – an incentive to better the overall student experience. I have lived  vicariously through my colleague Jenny’s experiences. I witness the passion she has for reform which then fuels me personally to work toward change not just for my kids but for future generations. 

Is it a necessary requirement? No, it’s not, but as previously mentioned it does help. Parents have every right to determine the educational needs for their children. However, Proviso needs to be a viable option for those families that cannot send their children to private school.