Maureen G. Wener: Candidate For Deerfield School District 109

DEERFIELD, IL — Ahead of the April 6 consolidated municipal elections, Deerfield Patch provided questionnaires to all candidates on the ballot.

Eight candidates are vying for four seats on the Deerfield School District 109 Board of Education on Election Day. They include two incumbents (Andrew Morrison and Sari Montgomery) and six challengers (Dana Blumberg, James D’Angelo, Valarie Hays, Kelly Jakymiw, Jonathan Silver and Maureen G. Wener). Current trustees Kate Bittner and Scott Kluge are not running for reelection.

Deerfield Patch is publishing all responses submitted by candidates verbatim.

Maureen G. Wener

Age (as of election day)

47

Town/city of residence

Deerfield

School district

DPS 109

Family

My son, Keegan Rundell, age 10, 4th grader at Wilmot and my husband Paul Rundell is a consultant. We have been married 19 years.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BA and MA in Political Science

Occupation

Currently I am a stay-at-home mom, volunteer, and community activist. Prior to my son being born I worked in government and for global and regional not-for-profits.

Campaign website

I have a campaign Facebook page. Win With Wener on Facebook

Previous or current elected or appointed office

I serve as a Library Board Trustee. I am past president and current secretary and serve on the Executive Committee.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

I am running for the Deerfield Public School District Board because our school system has been in transition even before the Covid-19 pandemic. This past year has been difficult for everyone in our community, and I want to help bridge all the valid differences and move our district forward.

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

I am the only non-incumbent candidate who currently serves on an elected public board, the Deerfield Library Board as past president and current secretary.

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

I am not a challenger-I am a team builder. I will bring new ideas and new ways of approaching concerns and implementing recommendations that will bring more and new successes within the district. As a board member, I would not accept complacency and will always look for ways to improve all aspects of our school district.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

1) Increased transparency-surveying community members on how they would like to receive information and how the board could do a better job. In addition, look for ways to not only share information to the community but get feedback FROM the community
2) Stable leadership-Identifying the right superintendent for a long-term commitment and increasing her/his visibility and accessibility in the community
3) Diversity awareness-finding new ways to educate students and staff about diversity and acceptance
4) Seek continued ways to stay on the forefront of education
5) Educational excellence-research new approaches to ensure student successes and ensure we are meeting those goals
6) Sensitivity to all learners-have the resources to help and identify those with social/emotional needs (this will be even more important during the pandemic)

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

As a current and elected board member and former board member for other organizations, I understand the vital role a board member plays. I recognize that as a board member it is my responsibility to respect and represent the views of the community and not to prioritize my personal views. As past president of the Deerfield Public Library, I had to build consensus. It is important to allow for constructive and thoughtful discussion in board meetings. We need elected members to have respectful dialogue in order to make the decisions that our community elected us to do.

Why should voters trust you?

I have a proven track record in the community as a volunteer. I do not comment on social media or share confidential information that others have shared with me. I am always looking for ways to help a friend, stranger, community member, etc. In the end, we are all so fortunate to live in a district that has given us so much; we should want to give back in the best way possible.

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

• Recognizing that I did everything I could to move our district forward
• Understanding-when someone in the community reached out with an issue, I was able to help them get access to an answer or was able to make their voice heard during a board meeting
• Partnering-being a partner between the community and the district
• Ensuring Educational Excellence-working with the administration to ensure our students were performing on an upward trend
• Budgeting responsibly-understanding that our schools are an investment but also recognize the need to use tax dollars efficiently
• Team building-creating a board that works cohesively with all stakeholders

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

One of my accomplishments as library board trustee was advocating for a comprehensive strategic plan in order to build a budget using our levied tax dollars efficiently.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

One of my goals for the district is to promote/educate/celebrate more diversity. Now more than ever, we must ensure that our District looks for every opportunity to incorporate diversity into our schools. The schools are teaching it, but we should be using best practices to provide more student engagement within diverse communities. Ideas include pen pal Zooms with another classroom (in a community with diverse backgrounds) or volunteer field trips (beyond Bernie’s Book Bank) to an area with more diversity. Other ideas include helping at food bank or cheering up nursing home residents in an under-served community that will help students grow and learn. The new mandate from the State of Illinois regarding "culturally responsive teaching" will be an asset when educating our students and teachers about racial bias.

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

I think the current board is moving forward on this by using certain weeks during the school year to educate students about different populations. Understandably, since Covid this effort has not been as much of a priority. As school returns to a regular ongoing schedule, we can once again incorporate this back into the curriculum better than ever before. We can never do enough to support racial equality until there is racial equality. In the meantime, what we can do is always look for ways to do more. The district should keep researching best practices, look for ways to partner with different groups, and ALWAYS incorporate ideas from community members/students. In addition, using best practices to incorporate the new mandate on "culturally responsive teaching" will be beneficial.

What are your thoughts on the district’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic? Are you in favor of remote learning, in-person learning or a hybrid of the two? Do you support a mask mandate for students and school staff, or mandatory coronavirus testing for both students and staff?

This is a tough question and everyone in our community has an opinion. It has become a decisive issue; and it has divided so many in our community. It has become clear why it is important that a district strive to always have stable leadership. When issues arise (Covid being beyond anyone’s imagination) we have to be able to react, respond, and look forward.

The schools already have a mask mandate and shield testing in place. I think as a district it is in our best interest to follow the science, and to follow CDC guidelines and the trusted consultant we contract with to ensure there are the necessary safety protocols in the schools. No one on the current board has expertise in this area; a trusted board listens to the experts and balances that information with stakeholder voices.

I am in favor of the learning choice that each individual family makes for their child/children. No one in our community should be judging other families’ choices. When the district knows it is safe for everyone to be in the school together; then we move in that direction.

When the vaccine is available to them, do you support mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for students and staff?

I am in favor of anyone who can be vaccinated to be vaccinated; but cannot answer this question until it has been proven safe in children and those with pre-existing conditions (i.e., pregnant women who are on staff, etc.).

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

No, I look forward to giving back to this community.

The best advice ever shared with me was ____________

Never look back (unless you are driving)!