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Name:
Andrew Martin
What office are you seeking?
Huntley School District 158 Board of Education
What is your political party?
Nonpartisan
What is your current age?
39
Occupation and employer:
Firefighter/Paramedic
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
None
City:
Campaign Website:
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety & Health - Illinois State University
Associates of Applied Science in Fire Science Technology - Harper College
Illinois Department of Public Health Paramedic Certification
Office of The Illinois State Fire Marshal Advanced Technician Firefighter Certification
Office of The Illinois State Fire Marshal Tier 1 Qualified Fire Official – School Fire Inspector
Community Involvement:
District 158 Strategic Plan Guiding Team
Marital status/Immediate family:
Elementary Children
Questions:
Would you make any changes to the district’s medication policy?
As with all policies, a process of continues review, quality assurance and exceptions for special cases are standard practice. Reviewing District 158’s medication policy specifically, in comparison with other school districts in the area, it adheres to the industry standard. All policies are open to adjustment and as a school board member I would invite all stakeholders to question and voice concern as necessary. A policy is a working document that must be continually reworked to ensure it provides protection but is also applicable to those that must abide by it.
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
Producing proficient graduates ready to take the next step in life is the focus of the “All Students Always” initiative. To pinpoint one factor directly to improve student proficiency in reading, English, mathematics and state testing is very tough because there is no “one size fits all” curriculum. Improving proficiency is a multi-faceted approach that must involve those who know the student population best, including stakeholders, educators, school administrators and school board members. Using firsthand experience from the working group outlined above and data analysis, a curriculum that accommodates a diverse student population with different learning styles can be crafted. Like any good organization continued monitoring of student progress and quality improvement is needed to make sure academic proficiency is increasing. District 158 is taking steps to improve proficiency involving those who know are students best by offering opportunities such as the parent teacher advisory committee, curriculum workshops, and upcoming vision & voice community engagement sessions. As a school board member, I would continue to support these efforts to ensure District 158 is a solid foundation in producing college, vocational and workforce ready graduates.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
I currently have elementary-aged children attending District 158 schools.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
The school district is responsible for selecting and providing materials that support the curriculum being taught and geared towards the academic development of the student population. Material should remain age appropriate, nonpartisan towards any political view or other predetermined factors like those outlined in the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972. The focus of the school district should be on producing graduates, equipped with essential skills such as problem-solving, communication, literacy, and creativity thus the materials available should support this goal.
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?
In my current stage in life, I believe it’s “hard to put a price on good education,” but this statement can be applied differently dependent on one’s experiences and life circumstances. Obviously, for me it’s priceless because I am raising elementary-aged children that need a quality educational foundation that they will carry into their futures. Arguing whether taxes are too high or not is also dependent on individual circumstances, but as a school board member my main responsibility is ensuring the received tax dollars are appropriately accounted for and spent responsibly making the most impact in the classroom and supporting the educators. As an elected school board member, I would explore all revenue opportunities to help take the burden off taxpayers, investigate wasteful spending and work to keep the school district tax impact as flat rate as possible without sacrificing quality education.
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?
Based on the “Strategic Planning” presentation at the Feb. 12 School District 158 Board Meeting, COVID relief funds were not the main source of revenue for any one district project, program or staff position. Any concessions that would need to be made by the district, due to the COVID relief funding ending, would appear to have a minimal impact on the classroom, staff or educational facilities. Any loss of revenue is significant for a school district and may require budget adjustment, as an elected school board member I would always keep the “All Students Always” initiative at the forefront of all budget decisions ensuring budget changes would not impact the classroom.
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?
Title IX is a continuations discussion within the judicial system on applicability to various sexual orientations and gender identities. I will always remain an advocate for choice and believe everyone is allowed to choose what is right for them. When it applies to District 158, I am in favor of safety and comfort of the students and staff. If one individual voices concern or discomfort in sharing locker rooms or bathrooms with transgender students, these concerns must be acknowledged and addressed to keep the facilities accommodating to all. I am also in favor of the original intent of Title IX when it comes to the creation of women’s athletics and do not believe that biological males should be competing in women’s athletics.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
Schools, in accordance with ICE policy, are deemed sensitive locations and agents are to only perform enforcement activity under exigent circumstances and prior supervisory approval. I would not be in favor of ICE agents performing enforcement activity on school grounds, especially in the presence of children, if no life or other safety hazard is present requiring immediate law enforcement intervention. Any policy regarding ICE enforcement on school grounds would require legal consultation to ensure proper procedures are outlined in detail and not in violation of any federal or state laws. Preemptive policy creation without proper consultation runs the risk of legal issues, as an elected school board member I would always advocate for policy that was supported by case law and legal process.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
In my experience thus far with District 158 and I’m sure many school districts across the nation, the most important issues are safety of students and staff, academic proficiency and fiscal responsibility. These three issues are not easily addressed, but all relay on one another to ensure District 158 is accommodating to a diverse student population and fosters academic achievement. Accomplishing these goals while not crushing taxpayers is a balancing act that must be constantly monitored, adjusted and recreated. To say I alone have the exact answers to address these issues would be a stretch, but it is something I look forward to attacking with the help of stakeholders, educators, administrators and fellow board of education members.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
Cell phone usage during school hours is a double-edged sword that I don’t believe has the perfect answer. Cell phones used during instructional time are a distraction and inhibit the leaning process. Cell phones in an emergency can notify the necessary authorities to mitigate an issue when school staff may not be readily available. A phone call to a loved is also helpful coping mechanism for a student having a tough day. Any policy regarding cell phone use during school hours should be carefully constructed and involve students, stakeholders, educators, administrators and school board members. Such a process would ensure that all viewpoints voiced and heard, discussed leading to a common ground agreement allowing for written standards, expectations and policy that worked for everyone who must work within and abide by it.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
As previously stated, I do believe there are exceptions to cell phone use in school if they are used within the agreed upon guidelines of the collective group. To completely outlaw cell phones from school grounds would lead to mischievous behavior. I believe the best solution to the cell phone issue is the creation of set expectations that are built from various viewpoints to create a policy that is easily abideable by both the student body and staff.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
The current District 158 zero-tolerance policy addressing all forms of bullying is a very solid foundation that includes multiple reporting avenues and provides staff training on bullying prevention. A review of the effectiveness and implementation of this policy is imperative to ensure it remains up to date on the various technological advances and addresses its particle execution. District provided devices and devices connected to district provided internet should be subject to access and advanced firewall protection from accessing inappropriate content. Personal electronic devices that are used on school grounds and found accessing inappropriate content would be subject to disciplinary actions.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
AI is becoming a globally used tool to improve many daily business and life functions but making sure students do not become reliant on such technology is a difficult task that all educational institutions are attacking. I firmly believe it is important that student’s complete schoolwork without AI to improve their own knowledge base, mathematics and reading skills. Completely ignoring AI as a useful tool would also be a disservice to the students as it is becoming a frequently used technological advancement. Finding the right balance between student academic proficiency and remaining relevant with technology is something that must be incorporated into our classrooms and assignments. As a school board member, I would advocate for clear student expectations when it comes to the use of AI, making sure a level of understanding is achieved without becoming reliant.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
Transparency is the greatest achievement for any governing body. As a board member I would advocate for frequent financial presentations and making all budgets, expenditures and other financial documents readily available through the school district website. Taxpaying stakeholders always maintain the right to question the districts spending though public comment at board meetings or written forms such as email. Finical documentation is not always easily understood, and I would consult with interested district stakeholders on the development of a straightforward finical report format.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
In my opinion the school board needs to be one of the many voices at the table when it comes to setting, monitoring, and changing curriculum or policy. To ensure the school district’s curriculum and policies are producing proficient students that are prepared for future endeavors, a collaborative effort that includes district stakeholders, educators, administrators and board of education members should be responsible for analyzing and adjusting curriculum and policy. It is of utmost importance that District 158’s curriculum and policies are as accommodating as possible to a diverse student population with different needs and learning styles. No curriculum or policy is perfect without consistent data analyzation, quality assurance and adjustment as necessary to keep pace with the “All Student Always” initiative.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
As stated previously, the school district should remain focused on providing literature that supports the curriculum being taught and the academic success of the student body. No literature should be banned, but should be age appropriate remain age appropriate, nonpartisan towards any political view or other predetermined factors like those outlined in the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972. I am a firm believer in parent’s rights and choice and opt-out option will always remain available in District 158.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
Huntley is a continually growing community and consistent monitoring of the classroom size and teacher to student ratio is an absolute vital step in making sure the school district is meeting the “All Student Always” initiative. Current District 158 enrollment rates are down, maintaining classroom size has been manageable to this point, but I advocate for consistent re-evaluation of these factors to make sure students are receiving quality education, individualized attention as needed and not overwhelming the educators.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
The recent contract agreement between the teachers’ union and District 158 Board of Education in my opinion shows a dedication to the educational staff. I expected the same treatment to be extended in the upcoming HESPA negotiations. I am an advocate for ensuring the proper resources are allocated toward supporting, retaining and hiring quality educators and staff. Without motivated educators and staff, who feel valued, respected and properly compensated for their work, the education foundation of District 158 is compromised.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
As the old Cliché goes, “Open door policy.” Any elected official should remain accessible and accountable to those who elected them. My contact information will always remain visible and accessible to all district stakeholders for any complaints, opinions and conversations. If I do not have the answer, I will work to find one or direct constituents to the proper channels to address any issues. Communication and transparency between the constituents and I will always remain clear and open.