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Name: Susan Lopez
What office are you seeking? Kankakee School District #111 Board
What is your political party? N/A
What is your current age? 57
Occupation and employer: Regional Human Resources Director
What offices, if any, have you previously held? I have not held any previous elected positions. I am a current member of the City of Kankakee Planning Commission and YMCA Board of Directors. I was the previous board chair for the YMCA.
City: Kankakee
Campaign Website:
Education: Illinois Wesleyan University - BA in Business Administration
Olivet Nazarene University - MBA
Community Involvement: City of Kankakee Planning Commission and YMCA Board of Directors
Marital status/Immediate family: James Lopez - spouse
No children
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
We need to have a plan in place to aggressively recruit and retain certified teachers so that all children receive instruction based on best practice. We need to stop moving children to different buildings three times in their first four years of schooling as we know mobility has a negative impact on achievement and return to K-3 schools. We need to make sure that there are clear learning goals established for all subject areas at all grade levels; that teachers receive the support and guidance they need to ensure student learning; and that student progress is monitored regularly. The curriculum audit that will be conducted this spring by the district should provide the information needed to address these issues.
Fiscal responsibility is an important part of elected roles, and a priority for voters. Do you believe the school district budget needs trimming? Why or why not? If you were to cut, where would you do it?
As board members, we are responsible for approving a budget each annually and then monitoring expenses throughout the year. The budget should be aligned with the district’s priorities and long-term goals. Since I am not yet of the board, I cannot speak to whether the budget needs trimming. I do know though that the board must ensure that taxpayer monies are spent prudently.
Since I am not yet a member of the board, I cannot speak to where, if at all, the budget should be cut.
Illinois, like many districts across the nation, is facing significant teacher shortages. What is your idea to recruit and retain educators, including special education, dual-language teachers, etc.
The district leadership must focus on the recruitment of certified teachers in all areas through such initiatives as attending job fairs, monitoring job websites, and considering practices used in other school districts like signing bonuses and/or housing allowances. In order to improve retention, we need to listen to current staff as to why they decided to work in the district and their reasons for staying. We should also conduct exit interviews of those who leave to identify issues that need to be addressed. This will help the district develop and ensure a culture where staff feel valued and want to stay.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
While I do not have any children, I attended District #111 schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade. I am concerned after seeing the Illinois school report card data that students are no longer receiving a quality education. As a homeowner I am also concerned about the increase in my property taxes since over 40% of my tax bill goes towards funding the school district. And as a life-long resident of Kankakee, I care deeply about our community and believe we all have a moral obligation to make sure that all children in our community receive an education that prepares them for a successful future.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
Parents have a responsibility and right to monitor what their own children are reading. They do not, however, have the right to determine what other people’s children are reading. Teachers and librarians have the responsibility of ensuring that all materials in the library and those used in the classroom are age and grade appropriate and inclusive. All school districts should also have a procedure in place that allows parents to opt out of instructional materials they find objectionable for their child. Administrators and teachers need to be aware of these policies and follow them if a parent raises such an objection.
Most of local residents' property taxes go to their school districts. Are taxes paid to your school district too high? What would you do to protect the interests of taxpayers?
Currently 41% of our property tax dollars go towards funding our schools; yet six of eight of our schools are ranked academically in the bottom 5% of all schools in Illinois. Test scores have shown a steady decline in every area over the last 8 years. So, I think it’s imperative that we look at how we are spending our tax dollars with fresh eyes as what we’re doing obviously isn’t working. We need to review our current staffing patterns as well as instructional programs for both their effectiveness and use of tax dollars.
Most of the COVID relief money from the federal government is coming to an end. What spending adjustments does your school district need to make to address that?
Since I am not yet a member of the board, I do not have all the specifics as to how COVID dollars were used in the district. Regardless of the loss of COVID dollars though we should always be reviewing current practices and procedures to make sure we are using all tax dollars prudently.
Should Title IX cover sexual orientation or gender identity? What are your views on the use of locker rooms and bathrooms by transgender students and their participating in sports?
All children should be treated with dignity and feel safe in schools. It is up to the school board to create policies that respect the privacy and rights of all students. I would definitely support options where the school might provide access to separate changing areas to offer greater privacy.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
I agree with the policy that Dr.Lance put in place in January. Principals are not to release any information about the student and must contact her immediately if any ICE agent appears so that she can notify the parents/guardians. Protection of the children is the district’s highest priority.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
- Shortage of certified teachers and challenge of recruitment and retention of teachers
- Increasing property taxes with little to no outreach to district taxpayers
- Poor academic performance at all but one school with six of the eight schools being ranked in the bottom 5% of all schools in Illinois
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
I believe that the use of cell phones during school hours is a distraction and negatively impacts student learning. Students need to be focused on what is happening in the classroom not on their cell phone. In my opinion, the district needs to adopt and enforce a policy that students may not use cell phones during instructional time.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
If there is not already a policy on cell phone use in place, the district needs to adopt one that is clear and consistent and addresses any exceptions. This policy must be communicated to the students and the parents and consistently enforced by all staff. This may include when a student may use their phone (while on break or during lunch). The policy should also outline the consequences of misuse such as confiscation or loss of privileges. This policy may vary based on age and grade level of the student.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
The district has a very detailed cyberbullying policy in place, which I support. The administration needs to make sure that staff, students and parents understand the dangers, are informed about the steps to take to report offenses and know the consequences for those who engage in cyberbullying.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
Yes. I believe that AI can be used as a tool to improve learning if used responsibly and in conjunction with other more traditional learning strategies. AI can enhance learning by providing additional experiences, helping students understand complex topics, and assisting with such tasks as research and problem solving. I believe that educators have a responsibility to teach students how to use AI responsibly, safely, and not as a shortcut for completing classroom assignments. The district should develop a policy on the use of AI by both students and staff.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
I would start with setting some key performance indicators (KPIs) and goals and then highlight the figures and data that pertain to those indicators. I would ask the business manager to provide clear summaries, in plain language, at all board meetings, using bullet points, charts and/or tables to summarize data. Charts and graphs are a helpful visual representation of data and allow people to compare data over time. It is important to explain what the numbers mean and use examples if possible whenever giving reports. These presentations should then be readily available to on the district website.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
Parents and community members should be informed of proposed changes to the curriculum and/or district policies through the district website, social media, radio and print articles and ads, and emails. The mode of communication must be more than just social media if we are to reach more stakeholders. The district website is one place that is in need of drastic improvement asap. I think it is time for the district to consider conducting a communications audit in order to develop a plan to more effectively reach those who do not have children in the schools.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
See response to question 6. It is the school board’s responsibility to ensure that all instructional materials provided to the students in libraries and classrooms are age and grade level appropriate and inclusive. Parents have the right and responsibility to monitor what their children are reading but not to determine what other people’s children are reading. The district must have a procedure in place that allows parents to opt out of reading materials they find objectional for their children. Banning books can be seen as limiting students’ ability to become aware of different viewpoints.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
There needs to be an analysis completed every year to determine the number of teachers needed to keep class size at the desired level. However, what is even more important is to make sure that a certified teacher is available to staff all the classrooms.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
Since I am not on the board, I don’t have the background to answer this question in depth. From what I have read in the newspaper, Dr. Lance appears to have a plan in place and definitely understands the urgency related to recruitment and retention of certified teachers. We should continue to allocate the dollars needed to recruit and retain staff. If we have not done so already, we may want to consider providing financial help to encourage our current staff to get the necessary credentials that would allow them to fill positions in the district. Other systems have been successful with implementing a “grow our own” strategy.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I would make my contact information available to the public and encourage them to contact me with questions. As a board member, I pledge to be as transparent and accessible as possible and that starts with communication.