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Name: Jim Hollich
What office are you seeking? School District 158 School Board
What is your political party? Independent
What is your current age? 71
Occupation and employer: Retired teacher, Schaumburg School District 54
What offices, if any, have you previously held? No political office
City: Algonquin
Campaign Website: Not yet
Education: BSed Northern Illinois University’75, major in Studio Art and Art Education, Minor in Art History. 39 graduate hours in Education.
Community Involvement: Upon my retirement from teaching in 2011, I started volunteering at Sherman Hospital in Elgin in 2012. I volunteered in the Peri Anesthesia Recovery Unit and Day Surgery until 2020 when COVID struck. In the mean time and until 2023 I volunteered with the Hispanic Anti Suicide Coalition and Poema Art Studios in Elgin doing Art Therapy paintings for citizens that were touched by suicide in their lives.
Marital status/Immediate family: My wife Denise is currently a resource teacher in Schaumburg School District 54. My son Dan and his wife Carol are teachers in the Chicago Public School System. They are the parents of my two year old granddaughter Charlotte. My daughter Sage is a Psychology student at the University of Iowa.
Questions:
Would you make any changes to the district’s medication policy?
Not at this time
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
Students have to be engaged and motivated to learn and score highly. Teachers and parents are partners in getting students to strive to learn. We have to make motivation rewarding whether it’s end result is learning a trade, entering a family business or college.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
My son Dan went to elementary school in Johnsburg and attended Johnsburg High School. My daughter went through District 158 schools at the Heineman Campus and then Huntley High School, graduating in 2022.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
I do not believe in banning books, however, only age appropriate books should be available to students at their reading or grade level. If there are books that are controversial a parental ok might be required. I believe in an honest representation of American History should be provided to students. That would include Black History, Native American History Immigrant History, Western Expansion, the History of American Warfare and Industrialization, with all the motivation and results of those actions.
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?
With all the new construction going on in our district and families moving in, I think that they’ll bring in enough tax revenue that current taxes will not need to be raised.
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?
We seemed to function well before we had that money. The district has gone in the right direction with solar energy etc. to save money.
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?
The actual number of transgender students is low. I believe that they should have their own bathrooms so as not to upset the parents and students that are not transgender. I believe that students should participate in their birth gender sports.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
ICE agents should only be allowed entering the schools if they have a warrant. They should not be allowed to enter classrooms and disrupt the learning process. If they need to speak with a child, that child should be asked to come to the office. Their parents should be notified immediately and asked to come in as well. I have no problem with unnaturalized citizens that have committed crimes being deported.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
1. Teachers and Administrators leaving the district for higher pay. 2. Student behavior. 3. Student and Teacher morale.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
Cell phones should not be allowed in classes. Students should turn them in at the beginning of class and pick them up at the end. They should have them at lunch and during free time. One of the arguments we have to deal with is what happens if there is an emergency during the day. The office staff is well prepared to handle that. Security at the building entrance is tight. SRO officers are present.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
If a teacher determines that cell phones are needed for the lesson then the kids should be given access during that time.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
Bullying in any form is not acceptable. Inappropriate content if seen on school property should be reported to the office. Appropriate action should be taken. The punishment should suit the crime...possibly a three strikes determination.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
This is a tough one since we’re just starting to see what AI can do. I wouldn’t think plagiarism or direct submission from AI would be good, however, for research purposes AI would be ok.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
The money is their money. The schools are their schools. I believe in complete transparency.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
Open meetings with parent input. Hashing out the pluses and minuses in front of an audience with audience input. Possibly putting important matters to a vote.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
As I said before, I don’t believe in banning books, however, there must be age appropriate screening of material. Staff, administrators, school board members and parents should discuss what’s appropriate at what age.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
As a former teacher I can tell you that classes of over 25 are pretty unmanageable. We must have a classroom atmosphere that promotes learning and concentration. Making teacher pay comparable to other Northwest suburbs would keep teachers and administrators in our system.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
I stated that previously
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I am creating a website and facebook page. I’m also available on Neighborhood sites. My email is out there and if elected, I will take questions at school board meetings.