Kevin Michael: Candidate For Arlington Heights School District 25

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Ahead of the April 4 consolidated municipal elections, Arlington Heights Patch provided questionnaires to all candidates on the ballot.

Five candidates are vying for three seats on the Arlington Heights School District 25 Board of Education on Election Day. Current board member Chad Conley is not running for reelection when his term ends in April.

• Brian Cerniglia, current vice president (term ends in 2023)
• Scott Filipek, current member (term ends in 2023)
• Kevin Michael
• Elizabeth Nierman
• Maria Zeller Brauer

Patch is publishing all responses submitted by candidates verbatim.

Kevin Michael

Age (as of election day)

44

Town/city of residence

Arlington Heights

School district

Arlington Heights School District 25

Family

Jennifer (wife), 2 daughters ages 13 & 9

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

MA in Elementary Education from Roosevelt University, endorsements in English Language Learning and Middle School instruction

Occupation

Instructional Technology Coach (8 years) in Park Ridge-Niles School District 64

Campaign website

Kevin4D25.org

Previous or current elected or appointed office

None

The most pressing issues facing our (board, district, etc.) are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them.

I believe the most pressing issues facing the Arlington Heights School District 25 Board of Education are the successful implementation of full-day Kindergarten, hiring a new superintendent with Dr. Lori Bein’s anticipated retirement, and restoring faith and trust between the Board of Education and the community as we continue to recover from the challenges of the past few years.

With the upcoming expansion for full-day Kindergarten, we need a Board of Education who are ready to make informed decisions about how to best meet the needs of young learners and their families, as well as the needs of primary teachers in District 25. We will have to think creatively about how to maximize the impact the expansion of our schools can have on the program, while striving to minimize impact on taxpayers. I have worked with administrators, teachers, and architects in my professional life to design and facilitate the creation of an elementary school makerspace, with flexible furniture and storage solutions. Given the ways in which enrollment has fluctuated in the past 10 years, having learning spaces that can be used by students of a variety of ages and for a variety of purposes will better serve the evolving needs of the district.

Also of significance, this spring the Board of Education will begin the search for candidates for superintendent of the district. I have served on hiring committees at the school and district level in my current role, and I’m prepared to select a leader who is experienced, collaborative, puts students first, and has excellent communication skills. The superintendent sets the climate and culture for the entire district, and I’ll help hire a candidate who is ready to listen and collaborate with staff, parents, the Board, and the entire District 25 community.

Finally, we need a Board of Education that can collaborate and communicate effectively with all stakeholders in the district. I’ve attended many Board of Education meetings during the past 3 years, and it’s been challenging to see division among current board members when debating and voting on important topics, including pandemic response, the differing roles of the Board and the superintendent, and combating misinformation. I respect the importance of having diverse perspectives and opinions on the Board, but there are certain issues around which unity, cohesion, and consensus should be reached. I am prepared to listen, communicate openly and honestly, weigh important decisions from all perspectives, and to guarantee an excellent teaching and learning environment for the entire District 25 community.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I’m familiar with the inner workings of K-8 districts from multiple perspectives. I’ve been a substitute teacher, classroom teacher, and am currently an instructional coach. In my current role I work as a liaison between teaching teams, between teachers and administrators, and between staff at different schools. I listen to multiple perspectives and opinions, and have to use that input to build consensus around teaching resources and methods. I’ve also served on hiring committees at a district level, which will prove valuable in the process of hiring our next superintendent.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community or district?

I respect and appreciate the time and energy that our current board members have put into their vital, volunteer roles in our community. What I would bring to the Board is a more proactive approach, and greater involvement in the district community. As a Board of Education Member I plan to be visible and accessible in our schools and around our community, at concerts, plays, fundraisers, and events sponsored by the PTAs and ABC/25 foundation. I want to hear from parents, teachers, students, senior citizens, and taxpayers about the triumphs, struggles, and needs of the district.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

I am focused on equity and belonging for all students, responsible spending on construction projects for full-day Kindergarten, selecting a superintendent with excellent communication skills who puts students first, and strengthening relationships between the Board of Education and the Arlington Heights School District 25 community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I serve on a number of school and district committees, including Crisis and Safety, Social Studies Curriculum Selection, Technology, and my school’s Quality Improvement Team. In these roles I collaborate with teachers and administrators to build consensus, weigh the pros and cons of important decisions for district stakeholders, and implement creative, student-focused solutions. Working toward consensus, listening to all stakeholders, and doing what’s best for students are important qualities for school board members, so these experiences qualify me well for membership on the Board.

Why should voters trust you?

I will keep students at the center of the decisions and actions I make as a board member. I am open and honest about issues facing our district, and I have spoken about many of those issues during the community input portion of board meetings. I value the perspectives of parents, district staff, fellow board members, and all members of the community. I will listen with an open mind and do what is best for all students.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office a success?

Hiring an excellent and experienced superintendent, the successful launch of full-day Kindergarten, and continuing the ongoing work of the district’s strategic plan will be primary areas of focus for the next Board of Education, and would be my criteria for a successful term.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

The District will need to demonstrate careful use of taxpayer funds for the full-day Kindergarten expansion since the referendum passed by a narrow margin. I will be a careful steward of these funds to ensure that we can have the maximum impact on learning with minimum impact on taxpayers.

What are your thoughts on how the district has handled the COVID-19 pandemic?

I believe that the Board was making decisions that they thought were in the best interest of the community under conditions of extreme duress and uncertainty. The pandemic was a struggle for all stakeholders in the AHSD25 community. What frustrated me as a parent during the summer and fall of 2020 was insufficient communication and what seemed to be a lack of preparation for the start of the school year.

My team of instructional technology coaches moved quickly and proactively in our district in spring of 2020 as COVID cases began to be reported, and shared resources and online teaching tools with our staff before schools were closed. This left our teachers and families better prepared to adjust to remote learning. District 25 should have spent the summer of 2020 keeping parents apprised of planning for a variety of scenarios. This would have left fewer community members feeling confused or misled when the school year started remotely, and would have given families more time to prepare.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some school boards saw extremely heated disagreements during public meetings. If elected, what changes, if any, need to be made to ensure meetings are run efficiently while still allowing open discussions?

School boards are responsible for broad governance and overseeing the business of the district. The superintendent is responsible for leading the district and running day-to-day operations. The Board should not micromanage the District. The AHSD25 Board Governance Framework states that the Board will “respect the distinction between Board and Superintendent/staff roles”. I think the Board lost sight of this in recent years. Bringing this understanding back to the forefront will help demonstrate unity of purpose and improve productivity and efficiency at meetings.

How do you feel about sex education being taught in school? Should an LGBTQ component be included, and why or why not?

My older daughter is in 8th grade, so I’ve had a chance to preview the health curriculum for students at all ages in District 25. Students need to understand the science of their bodies in order to make healthy choices throughout life. The curriculum used in District 25 is developmentally appropriate.

Representation matters in all curriculum, including sex education. There are LGBTQ students in our community, and those students have the right to equity in their education. The District’s strategic plan states that our District should “cultivate a healthy climate and culture that creates conditions and supports to meet the needs of all learners.” We can only achieve this goal by including the needs of our LGBTQ learners in that plan.

What are your views on critical race theory and whether it should be taught in the district?

Critical Race Theory is an academic theory that is sometimes taught at the college level. It is not a part of District 25 curriculum or part of Illinois learning standards.

What should be happening in schools is Culturally Responsive Teaching, which is unrelated to Critical Race Theory other than the common abbreviation. Culturally Responsive Teaching is an idea popular since the 1990s which states that students from different backgrounds are more successful academically when their teachers respect and celebrate all cultures, races, religions, nationalities, and backgrounds in the community. I believe that the teachers in District 25 do this well, and I hope that all members of our community feel the same. It’s simply good teaching.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

It’s important to emphasize the distinction between equality and equity. Equality is often seen as everyone getting the same opportunities without acknowledging that students are not all starting from the same place. Equity means that each learner gets what they need to succeed, and individual learners have unique needs.

The District has begun its equity journey, but we need to continue to seek feedback from students and families about how our District addresses the needs of all students, including students of all races, cultures, abilities, and identities.

When it comes to student achievement, what are schools within this district doing well and what needs to be improved? How can those improvements be made?

District 25 has excellent teachers and staff, and wonderful students and families. The quality of instruction in the District during my children’s time in AHSD25 has always impressed me. There are some concerns in the community about the recent decline in standardized test scores. Given the disruption caused by the pandemic, this drop was expected. I believe that our students have begun to rebound, and that test scores will do the same in the near future. I’m more concerned about continuing to meet the social-emotional needs of learners. SEL and academics go hand-in-hand. If we continue to address academic and SEL needs, we will continue District 25’s reputation as a destination district for families and excellent teachers..

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was ____________

Later in life you will regret the things you never tried and chances you never took far more than the mistakes you’ve made.