Advance300 sent the same survey to all candidates for the Board of Education (BOE) in late February. Candidates were notified by email, certified mail (if we did not have or were unsure of an email address) and in some cases, both by certified mail and email. The response deadline was March 16th. One candidate informed us that he was out of townfor most of this time and others requested extensions, so we extended the deadline for all candidates until the end of the day on March 18th.
As always, your comments are welcome. If you have information or would like more information regarding any candidate please e-mail us at: advance300yes@yahoo.com. We will pass on your requests or research the questions and post the information on each candidate's page (coming soon).
Dave Alessio responses
Monica Clark (Chose not to respond)
Dennis Cleveland responses
Alfred Douglas (Chose not to respond)
Mary Fioretti responses
John Ryan (Chose not to respond)
Chris Stanton responses
Joe Stevens responses
Click here for individual candidate pages with additional information on each candidate.
The remainder of this page provides their answers side-by-side. All answers are in alphabetical order by last name:
Question #1 - Personal information:
Dave Alessio responds:
Dave Alessio
1871 Arbordale Ln, Algonquin
Dundee Township / Kane County
Date of Birth:1964
Years living in District 300: 10
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds:
Dennis Cleveland
7 E. Lincoln Ave., East Dundee, IL 60118
Dundee/Kane
Date of Birth: March 12, 1948
Years living in District 300: 34 years
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds:
Mary C. Fioretti
1627 Arquilla Drive, Algonquin, IL 60102
Algonquin Township - McHenry County
Date of Birth: 1/31/1955
Years living in District 300: 14 years
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:
Chris Stanton
40W603 Atchison Dr. Hampshire, IL 60140
Rutland/Kane County
Date of Birth: December 1958
Years living in District 300: 15+ years
Joe Stevens responds:
Joe Stevens
1961 Dorchester Ave. Algonquin, IL 60102
Dundee Township / Kane County
Date of Birth: 5/22/45
Years living in District 300: 13
Question #2 - Have you had or do you currently have school-age children or grandchildren? If yes, please check the type of schooling that your children receive(d):
Dave Alessio responds: Three in Public School in District 300
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: Public School in District 300
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: Three in Public School in District 300
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds: Three in Public School in District 300
Joe Stevens responds: Public School in District 300 (All are now adults)
Question #3 - With regard to question #2, please explain why you chose the venue of education for your children that you did:
Dave Alessio responds: My family attends public schools because we feel it's important to be involved in our neighborhood community. While I understand private schools or home schooling may be the best choice for some students, and I support our church school, I believe the public schools are one of the pillars of the community. This indirectly affects property values and local investment in our area.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: With all due respect for private schools in the area, it was my belief, and my wife concurred, that the District 300 schools provided the best educational opportunities in the area for our children. We were not disappointed during the course of our children's public school education.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: The decision for public education for our children was one of choice for my husband and me. I was familiar with private education as I had attended a Catholic School for several years. My son Tony is hearing impaired and private education would not have provided the services that he would need. As it turned out, District 300 was wonderful to both of my children. Christine is currently a junior at Roosevelt University in Chicago pursuing an Integrated Communications degree and Tony is a sophomore at the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana pursuing a Finance degree.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:My wife and I are both products of public education. We both support our schools in Hampshire and feel the schools are an important part of our community. Our children receive/received a quality education and have/had a great social interaction with their peers.
Joe Stevens responds: I believe a strong public education system signifies a strong and healthy community. When we came here we received strong recommendations on the school system. Our son was in the middle of his junior year of high school and we were concerned about how he would do transferring at that critical time. He not only did well, he did extremely well and loved finishing high school here. Today he is a graduate of Illinois State and is enrolled in the MBA program at University of Chicago. My other children were older and already out of college.
Question #4 - Please describe your educational background from elementary school through post-graduate work, if any. Please include the dates of attendance and date diploma or degree, if any, that was conferred.
Dave Alessio responds: I have attended public schools in Illinois from kindergarten through college.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds:
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds:
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:I attended public schools from 1st grade through graduation of high school in Ohio, graduated Newark Sr. High School 1976.
Attended public college OSU/COTC Newark, Ohio majored in Accounting 1976-1979.
Joe Stevens responds: As a child I attended St. Patrick's Catholic Elementary School in Rockford which is now closed. I went from there to St. Thomas High School which was the forerunner for Boylan Central Catholic High School, however, in my junior year; I transferred to Auburn High School and graduated from there in 1963. I attended Rock Valley Junior College and Rockford College. At age 56, I entered the MBA program at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management graduating in 2004.
Question #5 - What, if anything, about your educational background do you believe makes you a good candidate for the Board of Education?
Dave Alessio responds: I understand that not all students are the same and not all will learn at the same speed. I had a lot of difficulty learning to read and write in the early grades. Many teachers were able to make accommodations and help me to overcome this.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: My educational background is in education. With the exception of my master's degree, I've always attended public schools. My bachelor's degree is in education with a major in History and a minor in English. My master's degree is in Curriculum and Instruction.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: As a child, I loved school. As an adult, I saw that higher paying positions were inaccessible to me because I did not have my degree. That frustrated me a great deal and deepened my desire to finish my college education. As a board member I am constantly reminding people that education is a must in today's society. The ability to communicate clearly requires excellent writing skills. Communication is the key to success in life. A well rounded education includes literature, technology, math, sciences, civics, and the interpersonal skills that are developed in a diverse and open learning environment. Each of these component areas contribute to becoming a well rounded adult who understands the opportunities that our democracy makes available to us.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:My public education helped prepare me for my adult life. I attended a large well run school system that offered various programs from vocational to college prep. My high school was the only one in our town and had a diverse student population that allowed me to interact with all kinds of people. I have fond memories of several teachers that pushed me to excel and created an environment that promoted learning. I had my first programming classes as a Jr. and Sr. in high school; I had never thought I was interested in computers until those classes. As an adult I have since learned five different programming languages and I still use my logic training from high school and college.
Joe Stevens responds: As I indicated in question # 3, I believe a strong education system signifies a healthy community. I have personally seen the value of both a public and a parochial education. Even if you believe in a parochial education for your children, without a strong public system, the community in my opinion is not as strong a community. I like the public system because it is more inclusive and more representative of the diversity of the community it serves. I think the children who come from the public system have an easier time acclimating into college life as well, where they surely will experience more cultural diversity.
Question #6 - Please list your employment history for the last ten (10) years. Please include what positions you currently hold and have held with each employer and what responsibilities that position entailed.
Dave Alessio responds: I work as a systems engineer of cellular networks. This requires planning for system growth in complex systems with many variables and uncertainties. I must also be mindful of costs in all planning to remain competitive. I also use data analysis to identify and prevent problems in these networks. Prior to this I was a radar systems engineer at the US Naval Research Laboratory.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: Ten years ago I was the Modular Technology instructor at Dundee Middle School, CUSD 300. My responsibilities included maintaining a modular technology lab and facilitating modular technology instruction for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at Dundee Middle School. From 1998 - 2005 I was on special assignment in District 300 as President of LEAD 300. Responsibilities included but were not limited to bargaining, representation, curriculum work, quality review, professional development, communication with legislators, insurance issues, feasibility studies, and evaluation process revision. I have been retired since June of 2005.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds:
Roosevelt University - Coordinator for the Institute for Continued Learning. This is an organization dedicated to those 50 years and older that is peer lead. There are 450 active paying members who develop Study Groups for every Spring, Summer and Fall with a Winter Lecture Series
Fioretti Consulting Co - founder of the consulting firm, managing back office processes including bookkeeping, payroll, and invoicing. Consulting efforts focused on pro-bono work in support of education funding reform, which included presenting testimony to and working directly with general assembly members and government agencies. Collaboratively worked with state-wide grassroots organizations (A+, Better Funding for Better Schools, CORE4Kids) to promote forums and strategy sessions for success in funding. This included visits to Superintendent meetings at the Regional Offices of Education for Kane, Dupage, and Lake county. Developed white papers and distributed analysis as a basis for in-depth policy discussions regarding education funding issues. Organized, facilitated, and participated, as a subject matter expert in public forums regarding education funding reform.
4/05 - Facilitated a meeting of the McHenry County Superintendent's and Regional Office of Education at the bequest of A+ with Senator Pamela Althoff. Included Health and Human Services organizations, union representatives, Business Officers, school board members, superintendents and the ROE.
3/05 - Submitted Testimony to Senate Select Committee on Education Reform.
1/05 - Panelist, Building Consensus for School Funding Reform, co-sponsored by A+ Illinois, Better Funding for Better Schools, IASA, IEA, IFT, and IPA
03/04 - Submitted Testimony to the House Appropriations Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Public Hearing on Education
02/04 - Submitted Testimony to the Senate Education Committee Budget Hearing
05/03 - Submitted Testimony to the House Committee of the Whole regarding the Education Budget.
03/03 - Panelist, Larkin District U-46 Forum on Education Funding
9/02 - EFAB Hearing in Chicago, presented written testimony
Volunteers for Students Foundation. Served as Founder and Executive director. Founder and executive director of not-for-profit foundation focused on creating excellence in public schools through community involvement at the classroom level. Developed and acquired private funding support for all programs established by the organization. Utilized outstanding communication skills to establish relationships with businesses, faith-based organizations, and educational communities to generate support these programs.
St. Margaret Mary Church Responsible for daily operation and management of the Parish Office as the personal assistant to the Pastor. Managed diverse technology within the office - Macintoshes & PCs and responsible for training of secretarial staff on current software.
First National Bank of Chicago, United States Gypsum, Illinois Bell, Ameritech. (1978 to 1987) All computer programmer or operational assistants work.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:October 1981 Direct Marketing Technology Inc. as the Operations Manager, my beginning responsibility was managing the data processing center. I was continually promoted until reaching the position of Executive VP. In 1994 was elected to the Board of Directors. In April 1997 the company was sold to Experian and I remained at the company as the Executive VP, CIO responsible for all Information Technology (IT) for our division. In 2004 I decided to take early retirement to spend more time with my family. When I left Experian I was managing a $53 million annual budget for the IT departments.
Since leaving Experian I have been an independent consultant for IT or management engagements. I am becoming more involved in Verascape, Inc. which specializes in automated phone applications and voice to text web applications.
Joe Stevens responds: For the last 10 years prior to my retirement in 2003, I was a Vice President for Sherman Health. I was responsible for the primary care physicians that Sherman employed at that time and managed their medical practices. I was responsible for multiple buildings and activities that occupied those buildings, such as the Medical Center on Randall Road in Algonquin, the Medical Center on Rt. 31 in Crystal Lake, medical buildings in Barrington, St. Charles, Carpentersville, Elgin, and South Elgin. Activities I was responsible for included Urgent Care Centers, Emergency Dept., Hospital food service, Chaplaincy, Managed Care Activities, Physician Practice Management Company, Hospital maintenance and housekeeping department as well as other support departments over the years.
Since retirement, I am serving or have served in the following non-paid, fully volunteer positions:
As of January of 2007 I have periodically worked as an independent consultant for pay, for International Executive Connections, Inc. which I plan on continuing.
Question #7 - What about your employment background, if anything, do you believe makes you a good candidate for the Board of Education?
Dave Alessio responds: Working in an industry that requires advanced technical skills gives me a practical appreciation of the challenges our students will face in a global economy. I have also seen how the members of our armed forces must rely on their high school education when they enter military training schools and are called upon to operate and repair sophisticated weapon systems all around the world.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: As a career educator, I would bring to the board experience and expertise in the areas of curriculum, instruction, technology, school improvement, collective bargaining, lobbying, quality review, best practice, evaluation, professional development, and District 300 history. My years as an educator, parent, and observer of the workings of the Board of Education also give me a familiarity with school finance and the types of decisions that have to made in the best interest of the schools of the community.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: Supporting education funding reform has given me the perspective of the need for change and makes me an advocate for change at the state level so that our property owners get a break. My work through the church has helped me to develop a deeper desire to help our students - to be compassionate where it is needed.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:Having been in business management most of my career I have developed skills and experiences in management, operations, negotiation, finance, project management, human resources, technology, building construction, procedure documentation, problem solving and team building.
Joe Stevens responds: In my employment, I was responsible for multiple business lines, millions of dollars of expenditures, and locations spread over multiple counties. I was successful in my business career in handling that type of responsibility. You find many of these same situations in our school system. I have the ability to analyze situations, work to achieve goals, and live within budgets. All of these factors prepare me to have a positive impact on CUSD 300 as I bring this skill set to the Board.
Question #8 - Why are you running for a Board position?
Dave Alessio responds: I want to help bring financial stability to the district as we improve educational quality. The last decade has seen continuous growth, deficit spending, teacher layoffs, overcrowded classrooms, and referendum questions. By maintaining balanced budgets we can forestall or prevent the need for a future referendum. Good things are happening now in the district, and it's exciting to play a role at this time. Class sizes have been reduced, new curricula are being introduced, new buildings are under construction and additions are going up. Test scores have improved and we are seeing the results of programs to improve discipline and school safety.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: Seven member Boards of Education permit communities to have the opportunity for diversity of expertise and experience in the governance of public schools. In addition to the other voices, there needs to be a voice on the board that speaks from experience in education. From a representational point of view, there also needs to be a voice that while mindful of the needs of all of the communities of District 300, can relate to and represent the needs of the Dundees and east Carpentersville.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: I am running because I want to build on the considerable progress we've made since I was elected to the board, specifically in the areas of financial stability, expense control, and improvements in educating our students. We have reduced the debt and improved our bond rating, leading to a lower cost of money and a more stable financial environment. We have lowered class sizes, improving the learning environment for our students and the working environment for our teachers, which targets improved test scores for our students. We engaged the community in many ways, from involvement in district committees, helping define school boundaries, selecting principals, and in developing a vision for the future. I want to ensure that the strategic 5 year plan that we have developed gets implemented in order to prepare our students for success in the 21st century. I am running because I have great pride in our district and a passion for public education.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:My reason for entering the race is primarily to give back to the communities and schools that educated my three sons. I believe in public education and that every child in the district is entitled to a quality learning experience that prepares them for their next level in life. I feel that my public and private experience has prepared me for this position.
Joe Stevens responds: I believe I can make a positive contribution to this community by serving on the school board and know I have the skill set to serve. I come from the private sector which I believe is a positive and am supportive of public education. I work well with others and like working towards consensus rather than confrontation. I think children today are more in need than ever before of a solid education that prepares them for complex world that has quickly become a global market where their skills and abilities will be challenged every day. I don't now have any children in the district, nor any relatives that work there and don't do any business with the district, I think that makes me somewhat unique in this field of candidates.
Question #9 - What is your understanding of the time commitment required of a Board of Education member? How much time are you able to commit to your position as a Board member on a weekly basis?
Dave Alessio responds: I usually attend at least 6 meetings per month. This includes two regular board meetings. Even though the open session starts at 7:30 pm, the closed session starts at 6:00 pm and often continues afterwards until 11 or 12. If there are too many student discipline cases to hear, a closed discipline meeting will be scheduled the next night. The finance committee and community finance committee meetings are on Wednesday and Tuesday nights, respectively, one time per month. The policy committee is usually once a month but only takes around an hour. In most months there is a special topic covered on a Saturday morning for the whole board.
Each weekend material is sent to board members to read and to be studied before voting at board meetings. We also receive information by phone or email before and after work, or during lunch most week days. My work schedule involves days and nights so I often have flexibility to attend daytime events at the schools as an observer or to represent the district.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: Having attended hundreds of school board meetings, study sessions, committee meetings, and hearings over the years, I am fully aware of the time commitment. Now as a retiree, I am prepared to devote whatever time is required to fulfill my duties as a school board member.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: Being a member of the District 300 Board of Education requires the commitment of a great deal of personal time. I average from 10-20 hours a week either working on D300 business and attending D300 activities and events. The commitment involves much more than attending a school board meeting every two weeks. BOE members receive a 3 inch binder on the Friday prior to each meeting. The information in the binder must be reviewed and understood prior to the meeting on Monday. Board meetings average 4 hours, and some extend beyond 6 hours.
In addition to the Board meetings, I attend various committee meetings and meetings for the D300 foundation during the week. I also try to maintain my connection to the schools and the students by attending whatever sports, music, and other school functions as I am able.
I am able to commit this time only because both of my children are now in college and because my employer, Roosevelt University, allows me the flexibility to make this possible.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:The time commitment varies with the participation on Board committees. There is prep time needed prior to every Board meeting and participating in the meeting. My estimation of the time required is between 5-20 hours a week depending on the issues that the Board is working on at the time. If elected, my commitment is to spend whatever time is necessary to perform my duties as a Board member.
Joe Stevens responds: This question amused me a bit for when I joined the board in July of 2006 I can honestly say I didn't really have a good understanding of this. Now I certainly do and the commitment is a very large one. It is not at all unusual for me to devote 15-20 hours per week at a minimum attending committee meetings, doing research, or preparing for a board meeting. There have also been weeks where I have spent over 40 hours working with staff on projects. I am fully able to commit to this and feel if I were to limit my involvement of time, I wouldn't be fully briefed or be able to properly vote on the many important issues that come before the BOE.
Question #10 - Please list at least three positive things about District 300. In other words, what is working? Be as specific as possible and provide sources for any factual information that you rely on in forming your opinions.
Dave Alessio responds:
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds:
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds:
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:Since the referenda passed we have added teachers and the reduced the class size to a more manageable number.
District wide curriculum standards are being implemented so that every child in the district is working on the same curriculum. This is improving the education experience in the subjects that have adopted the new standards and textbooks.
Construction of the new schools gives us the capacity to accommodate children coming into the district.
Communication with the public is improving. Timely information of school happenings is posted at the district website. Board of Education Meeting information is available online before each meeting. The district is working to gather community input into a strategic plan.
Joe Stevens responds:
Question #11 - Please list those things that you would change about the District and why. Please be specific and provide sources for any factual information that you rely on in forming your opinions.
Dave Alessio responds: I won't suggest any new changes right now, because many are currently in progress and will take years to complete. The new curricula will take time to implement after all required textbooks and materials can be obtained. The high school and middle school boundaries will be addressed starting in September to produce a plan coinciding with the opening of the new Hampshire High School in the fall of 2008. The block scheduling in the high school programs is currently under review and I will wait to see the suggestions.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: The manner in which we fund education in District 300 and other school districts in Illinois is in need of reform. The over-reliance on property tax does not reflect a basic consideration of taxation and that is the ability to pay. I am in favor of the A+ Illinois platform of education funding reform, which can be accessed at www.aplusillinois.org
The education of a child is a cooperative effort. It requires the efforts of teaching professionals, education service professionals, and administrators. To that end, I would like to see a better working relationship between administration and employee groups throughout the district.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: I would like to see more done with academic counseling at the Junior High level articulating to the High School level where young people own their academic program. Currently we need more counselors both in junior high and high school to meet the demand of all of our students.
We need to have Department Chairs at the high school level with type 75 to evaluate so that in these very large schools principals who do not have all the subject matter expertise when evaluating educators can adequately rely on department chairs to perform substantial evaluations as well as mentoring. As administrators are lured away by District 211 and 214 because they have the support base needed for principals we will continue to be the farm system for other high school districts. This will directly affect our high school system to move in the direction of those high school districts that are hugely successful such as Stevenson District 125. This will directly affect student learning by having mentored highly professional educators in the classroom. Stevenson High School Leadership Chart http://www.district125.k12.il.us/about/leadership_structure.html their vision/mission http://www.district125.k12.il.us/about/district_vision.html
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:As a general statement at times change in the district is slow. As an example the process to get the new curriculum implemented is a tedious time consuming process. More specifically, I would like to see more cooperation and interaction between the schools. The district is so large and so diverse but there are valuable things happening that should be shared.
Joe Stevens responds:
Question #12 - Have you volunteered to work with District 300 in the past? If so, please list your volunteer activities including the nature of your work and the dates that the volunteer work was performed and where.
Dave Alessio responds:
Facilities Advisory Committee - 1999-2001 - This committee evaluated the needs of all district buildings and noted the areas of disparity between schools. A long term plan was created which began to address the unequal facilities and identified four new elementary schools to be built. Now all District 300 schools are air conditioned.
TRAC - 2002 - This committee helped me continue learning about school finance in the state of Illinois.
My family has also been active in the Westfield PTO and the District 300 Foundation for Educational Excellence.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds:
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds:
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:
Current D300 Community Service
Citizen Member of Board of Education Construction/Facility Oversight Committee (2006-present)
District 300 Technology Directions Committee (2007-present)
Previous D300 Community Service
(Since I am not exactly sure of the dates served on my previous committees I did not list them. I have spent hundreds of hours on my previous D300 service.)
Member of District 300 Boundary Committee (ABC).
Co-Chair of District 300 Connect 300.
Member of District 300 Connect 300 Community Advisory Committee.
Member of Hampshire High School Principal Selection Committee.
Basketball Coach Hampshire Jr. Whips.
Joe Stevens responds: Prior to seeking a board seat after the March 2006 referendum, I was not involved with the school district.
Question #13 - Please name three things that you would do to improve the education of the children of District 300 and explain, in detail, how your proposed improvements would be implemented.
Dave Alessio responds:
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: It is assumed that these suggestions for improvement could be implemented with existing financial resources, reallocated resources, or creative means of funding.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds:
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:
Research success stories such as the continuing improvements being made at CMS and Lakewood Schools and use what works throughout the district. Work with other districts that have had successes and create a knowledge exchange to share programs and ideas.
Expand district-wide the parent education classes now available in some schools. Parent involvement is a huge indicator of student success and any encouragement we can give to parents to be more involved in their child's education is beneficial.
Establish a curriculum audit schedule to maintain an up-to-date and relevant curriculum. Work towards using electronic text books in the future to allow the curriculum to be modified quickly.
Joe Stevens responds:
Question #14 - What, in your opinion, is the function of the Board of Education?
Dave Alessio responds: The board must set a clear policy so that all district activities are focused on the same goals. The strategic plan will soon be ready, and the board will have to decide which recommendations to implement and how soon the district can afford those changes. Once the future course is determined, we can avoid wasting efforts on purposes not aligned with those goals.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: The function of the Board of Education is to see that the Administration's conduct of the operations of the school district, under the direction of the superintendent, is in accordance with the District 300 Community's requirements and Board Policy, as well as state and federal code.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: The primary functions of the Board of Education are in the areas of management oversight, financial direction, district wide policy, and in interaction with the legislators in the community and the state, as the district's elected representatives. The Board's job is NOT the day to day management of district business. That job is the responsibility of the Superintendent and his team of administrators. The board has one employee that it manages, the Superintendent.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:In my opinion, Board of Education Members are agents of the state and they serve as a bridge, or connection, between the administration of the school district and the community. Translating the desires and concerns of the community into real programs and ideas which continually build a stronger district should be the goal. This all has to be done while following all state and federal mandates. The only employee of the district that works for the Board is the Superintendent; they are responsible for goal setting, providing support and performance evaluation of the Superintendent. They should have a quarterly performance evaluation and goal review with the Superintendent to assess his/her progress.
Joe Stevens responds: The main functions are to hire and fire the Chief Executive, set School District policy, and safeguard the taxpayer's dollars.
Question #15 - What is the single most important duty of a member of the Board of Education?
Dave Alessio responds: I believe a board member must always keep the overall district in mind when making any decision. I have focused on the financial aspects while serving on the board this past year. But each line item must be somehow tied to learning in the classroom. And all decisions must be analyzed to see what effect they would have all parts of the district.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: A member of the Board of Education must remember that the mission of the District is that "District 300's students will reach their potential as self-directed learners and responsible citizens". Any goals set, any directions taken, any decisions made, must be mindful of this mission.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: In District 300 it is to recognize that we serve all students and not just those that go to your child's school. We have a much broader scope than an isolated school.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:The single most important duty of a member of the Board would be to maintain a quality education system based on the expectations of the communities it represents. The job should be approached with an open mind and no preset agendas that do not meet the expectations of the communities at large.
Joe Stevens responds: Protect the interests of the taxpayer while providing a good education to the children of the District.
Question #16 - Are you a supporter of public education? If yes, why? If not, why not?
Dave Alessio responds: Yes, most of the families in our towns depend on the public schools to educate their children. This provides the opportunity for our children to grow and achieve our hopes for them. The public schools also are important for our state and country to provide a work force which keeps the local and national economies going.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: Yes. I am a product of great American public schools as are my children. I am a career public school educator as is my wife. I believe that the American dream begins in our public schools and that they produce a responsible productive citizenry that enables our democracy to endure.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: Absolutely yes. Public education is about all our children, not just the wealthy ones, not just the healthy ones, not just the ones that speak English. As a matter of fact public education is probably more parochial in how we attend to all of our students. We provide a public education so that we may be self-governing, so that those that acquire the ability to reason can articulate their concerns when they have been aggrieved when they lose their right to privacy, right to freedom, or right to happiness. Public education is for all students.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:Yes, based on the experiences that I have had and the education that my children have received at the D300 schools. Each of my children has excelled in the D300 schools in academics, sports and extra curricular activities. They are well round people and a part of who they are was form by the public schools they have attended.
Joe Stevens responds: Yes. A strong local Public School District translates into a stronger more attractive community for everyone with better educated residents who contribute back to society.
Question #17 - Are you a supporter of District 300? If yes, why? If not, why not?
Dave Alessio responds: Yes, I believe this is the most efficient school district around. The quality of education is improving despite having the lowest tax rate in this Fox Valley area. Many teachers, parents, administrators, and students have worked valiantly to keep this district going through all the issues related to the growth of the last decade. I believe this past year will mark the beginning of the greatest time ever for District 300.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: Yes. Supporting a community's public schools is making an investment in the community's future. I have a record of support for District 300 both professionally and as a resident of the district that spans over three decades. Whether it has been overcrowded schools, boundary issues, financial issues, or any other problem facing the district, I have supported District 300 in finding the best possible solution possible.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: Yes. In the past four years I have seen success in schools that have not been successful. This is a significant turn around. This must continue.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:Yes, based on the experiences that my children have received at the D300 schools. Each of my children has excelled in the D300 schools in academics, sports and extra curricular activities. They are well round people and a part of who they are was form by the public schools they have attended. Two of my children have only attended D300 schools and one from 1st grade through graduation.
Joe Stevens responds: Yes, I live here; I want it to be good, even though I do not have any children or grandchildren in the schools. See the above question
Question #18 - Please set forth what, if anything, sets you apart from the other candidates running for the Board and that you feel is a good reason for the residents of District 300 to vote for you.
Dave Alessio responds: One difference is I am the only candidate with children in district elementary schools. Because of this, I take a particularly long-term view of district projects and improvements. Also, I am not accepting money from district contractors, unions, nor either side of the referendum campaigns - Advance 300 or FTN.
Monica Clark - No response
Dennis Cleveland responds: I am the only candidate who is a career educator. In its capacity in providing governance for the school district, the Board must make a wide variety of decisions. Some of them are of a business/financial nature; many of them are of an educational nature. Given the complexity of some of the educational issues facing school boards today, the presence of a career educator would be, in my opinion, a welcome addition to the collective wisdom of the seven member board.
As a candidate who resides in East Dundee and the only candidate who resides east of the river, my election would mean that a substantial portion of the district, the Dundees and east Carpentersville, would have representation on the board. Whether it is based in fact or not, there is a feeling in areas east of the river that the board has not always been responsive to east side concerns.
Alfred Douglas - No response
Mary Fioretti responds: I am a candidate with broad experience, serving the district and the community in many different ways. I have demonstrated leadership working with the board and with the D300 foundation. I have been able to build consensus and find common ground in difficult situations. I believe that I have the community interests at heart, balancing my responsibilities as a board member, my relationships with educators and administrators, my role as a parent and as a taxpayer, representing the voters and the students as honestly and ethically as possibly.
John Ryan - No response
Chris Stanton responds:I am passionate about public education and believe that every child is entitled to a quality education and I will work towards that goal. When matters involve children and money, it is natural that emotions run high. I believe that I can maintain a balance between the emotion that comes with making decisions concerning children and the business sense needed to make practical decisions.
Joe Stevens responds: A variety of things set me apart. I come from the private sector, and have no previous connection to the district which means I have no agenda or vested interests. In addition, my education and work experience have prepared me especially in the finance area. I am not an "anti" or "pro" anything like some of the candidates running and I judge things based upon the facts available. I am not funded by any single group or cause. I have the willingness to expend the time and effort that this job clearly requires. I attend most all functions available. During this campaign period, few of the candidates have attended board meetings or any of the committee or focus group meetings held. I would think if they really wanted to be a fair and impartial board member who contributed positively to the District they would begin to prepare in case they actually win the seat their vying for. There is a large learning curve.
Get Educated Get Involved Voting Meetings Voices Who We Are Legislation
© Copyright 2006 Advance 300. All rights reserved.
