:quality(70):focal(1245x1875:1255x1885)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/P7W4ZAGVLZHRROPCINKEVVHA6Q.JPG)
Name:
Debra Barton
What office are you seeking?
Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 Board Member
What is your political party?
non-partisan
What is your current age?
60
Occupation and employer:
Retired special education teacher and administrator in public school settings.
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
I have been a Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47 Board Member for four years. While on board, I have participated in the Student Learning Committee, Transportation Joint Advisory Committee, Parent Group Advisory Council, Contract Negotiations Committee, School Boundary Committee, and Strategic Planning Committee.
City:
Crystal Lake
Campaign Website:
sites.google.com/view/bartonford47/home
Education:
I have my bachelor’s in special education, my master’s in educational administration, and my doctorate in curriculum and instruction.
Community Involvement:
I do volunteer work through my church and several community organizations, such as the Lakeside Festival.
Marital status/Immediate family:
I am married and have two adult children.
Questions:
What are your views of recent teacher union contract negotiations, both the process and the outcome?
I had the opportunity to observe the contract negotiations. They were very long and arduous. Still, in the end, I feel we were able to come up with a contract that will reward our teachers for their hard work, be a strong tool for recruiting new staff, and retain the staff we have while managing the financial demands placed on the district and, ultimately, the taxpayers.
Are you satisfied with how math is taught in the district?
Research has shown that math skills are more beneficial when applied to practical problems than simply memorizing facts. D47 has been moving towards this mindset for the past few years, but with any change, a few growing pains have resulted in complaints presented to the board. I support this transition to more problem-based learning practices because that is how you truly use math as an adult: to solve problems, not by reciting math facts in a certain amount of time. This transition will better prepare our students for real-world scenarios.
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
In the Spring of 2022, D47 shifted to a strong focus on the fundamental skills of reading in grades K-2. During the 2022-2023 school year, all K-2 teachers received professional development on this topic, and in the 2023-2024 school year, it was implemented district-wide with additional professional development when needed. In 2024-2025, the district is seeing the benefit of this initiative, and the reading scores are improving in mono and dual-lingual classrooms. I strongly support this initiative and know the state test scores will continue to improve.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
My children attended South Elementary, Lundahl MS, and graduated from South HS.
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 board policy 6:120 states, “All District classrooms and learning centers should be equipped with an evenly-proportioned, wide assortment of instructional materials, … (which) depict in an accurate and unbiased way the cultural diversity and pluralistic nature of American society; and contribute to a sense of the worth of all people regardless of sex, race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, or any other differences that may exist.” I strongly support this policy so that all of the children in the district can see a representation of themselves in the curriculum and recognize the valuable contributions made by others who may have different experiences.
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?
I feel a school board member’s biggest responsibility is to balance providing high-quality educational programming for our students and being responsible to the community’s taxpayers. I keep this responsibility at the forefront of my mind when making financial decisions, such as approving new curriculum initiatives or new teachers’ contracts. In the four years I have been on the school board, the tax rate has decreased yearly from 3.86 to 3.67. In McHenry County, the D47 tax rate is in the middle compared to other districts. This information comes from the District Finance Dashboard, found at [ d47.org/about-us/district-47-dashboards](d47.org/about-us/district-47-dashboards). Unfortunately, other factors, such as the value of someone’s home, may have increased, so a family’s tax bill may have increased even though D47′s tax rate has decreased.
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?
District 47 did a wonderful job of applying the COVID relief funds to items that were a one-time cost, knowing that the money would not be available forever. These items included one-on-one devices, improving air quality through air-conditioners, and providing professional development to assist students impacted the most due to COVID and remote learning. Due to this planning, no spending adjustments need to be made now that the COVID relief funding has ended.
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 school board policy 7:10 states, “Equal educational and extracurricular opportunities shall be available for all students without regard to color, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, age, physical and mental disability, gender identity, status of being homeless, immigration status, order of protection status, military status, unfavorable military discharge, reproductive health decisions, actual or potential marital or parental status, including pregnancy.” It goes on to say, “No student shall, based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity, be denied equal access to programs, activities, services, or benefits or be limited in the exercise of any right, privilege, advantage, or denied equal access to educational and extracurricular programs and activities.” I strongly support this policy.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
The school district has sent a guidance document to all staff members as to the steps to take if an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agent and/or other law enforcement official attempts to take custody of and/or arrest a student, meet with a student, or ask for copies of student records. These steps include responding appropriately to the agents, directing them to the school office, as we would with any visitor, and bringing in district-level administration to deal with requests. Those requests will be processed based on federal and state laws and the Illinois School Code. I support this guidance.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
I see the top three issues right now as 1) maintaining financial stability in the district while maintaining our high-quality programming, 2) elementary school boundary changes, and 3) implementing the newly adopted Strategic Plan.
1) Maintaining Financial Stability in the District while Maintaining our High-Quality Programming
Looking at the district budget at [ d47.org/departments/business](d47.org/departments/business), you can see that our expenses have been more than our revenues for the past several years. Historically, we filled the gap by using money in our fund balances and postponing certain operational projects. However, with threats to federal funding, state budget deficits, and new contracts with increased salaries and benefits to our staff so that we can stay competitive, we need to examine our budget and determine if there are areas where we can make cuts without impacting on the quality and richness of our programming provided to our students. As I mentioned, striking that appropriate balance is the hardest job of being a board member and one I take extremely seriously.
2) Elementary School Boundary Changes
The last of our schools was built in the 1990s, with Crystal Lake going through significant growth primarily on the south side of town. In the past 20 years, the enrollment has declined, and we are starting to see it level off. We also see new growth, primarily on the district’s east side. Just as we did with the middle school boundaries last year, it is time to reassess the elementary school boundaries to ensure they are logical and will meet our needs for the next twenty years. I am privileged to serve on the boundaries committee and look forward to continuing this valuable work.
3) Implementing the Newly Adopted Strategic Plan
The board recently adopted the new Strategic Plan, and the district and building staff will now adjust their plans based on the latest strategic goals, which focus on teaching and learning, safety and wellness, communication and engagement, finance and facilities, and talented and invested staff. I had the opportunity to serve on the Strategic Planning Committee and look forward to seeing how the plan will be implemented now that it is in the hands of the staff.
A fourth, future issue would involve Dr. Kathy Hinz retiring on July 31, 2028. The board members elected this April will serve until April 2029 and, therefore, will hire a new superintendent to replace Dr. Hinz. Hiring a superintendent is one of the school board’s major roles, and I look forward to participating in the process.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
Like many things, cell phones are a tool that can be useful or abused. They can be a helpful organizational tool, convenient for providing information, and useful for containing apps such as stress reducers and motivational music. They can also be abused by distracting students from the task at hand, sending notifications regarding social media that are opinionated and false and used to communicate inappropriate information at inappropriate times. The point is that cell phones are not going away, and we, as educators, need to assist students in learning how to use them appropriately. There are certainly times when students need to put cell phones away, and engaging, hands-on instruction can help students with this. However, they do not need to be banned completely. That does not teach students how to use them with moderation and when they may be a helpful tool.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
The district’s board policy 6:235 identifies circumstances when electronic networks, which can be accessed via cell phones, should and should not be used. It states, “Electronic networks are a part of the District’s instructional program and serve to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication.” It goes on to state that “the District’s electronic networks shall: (1) be consistent with the curriculum adopted by the District as well as the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students, and (2) comply with the selection criteria for instructional materials and library resource center materials. As required by federal law and Board policy 6:60, Curriculum Content, students will be educated about appropriate online behavior, including but not limited to (1) interacting with other individuals or social networking websites and in chat rooms and (2) cyberbullying awareness and response.” I strongly support this policy and the accompanying procedures.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
Board policy 6:235 says that cell phone use is a privilege, not a right.” The failure of any user to follow the terms of the District’s administrative procedure, Acceptable Use of the District’s Electronic Networks, or this policy, will result in the loss of privileges, disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legal action.” Board policy 7:180 address bullying, including cyberbullying, states that “bullying on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, physical appearance, socioeconomic status, academic status, pregnancy, parenting status, homelessness, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender-related identity or expression, unfavorable discharge from the military service, order of protection status, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic is prohibited.” As a board member, it would be my responsibility to uphold this policy.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
Using a writing service and/or generative artificial intelligence technology in place of original work is prohibited, per board policy 7:190. Like cell phones, AI is a tool that can be beneficial or abused. Students should be instructed on how to use it successfully for proofreading or revising written work. They should also be taught that it cannot replace actual research and fact-collection and how to recognize when AI may have been used to distort or falsify information.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
Information regarding the district financial reports can be found on the district website at [ d47.org/departments/business](d47.org/departments/business). Specific charts and graphs comparing D47 with neighboring districts can be found in the Financial Snapshot portion of the District Dashboard at [ d47.org/about-us/district-47-dashboards](d47.org/about-us/district-47-dashboards). The information is complicated, but questions can be sent to Cathy Nelson, the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, at canelson@d47.org, and she would be happy to explain any of it. I recently suggested that the district briefly define the educational jargon used in the financial snapshot.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
Surveys are frequently sent to parents and community members to gather their opinions about upcoming curriculum and policy changes. This input is always valuable and strongly considered by administrators and the board when making decisions. We should continue this practice and research other ways to incorporate the input from all stakeholders when revising the curriculum or policies.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
As stated in Board Policy 6:230, the school district’s library resource program “adhere(s) to the principles of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, which indicate that materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.” I strongly support this policy and would not recommend banning any books based on my personal criteria.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
The district has implemented class size guidelines for years, keeping class sizes manageable based on teacher staffing levels. However, with new subdivisions being built on the east side of town, we need to re-assess elementary school boundaries so that class sizes remain manageable and equitable across the district.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
The shortage of qualified teachers is becoming more significant, and the strategies we used to recruit and retain staff just a few years ago may not be as effective now. The Human Resources department in District 47 is continually looking for new strategies, and the district has prioritized hiring and supporting teachers by including them in the new Strategic Plan.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
The community can always contact me via my district email, dbarton@d47.org. I am also involved in several organizations throughout the community and am always happy to discuss school board questions with any constituents.