Courtenae Trautmann, District 205 Board Candidate

ELMHURST, IL — Incumbent Courtenae Trautmann is one of nine candidates for four seats on the Elmhurst School District 205 board. Here are her responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Name:

Courtenae Trautmann

Town of residence:

Elmhurst

Age:

55

Campaign contact email:

CountOnCourtenae2023@gmail.com

Campaign website:

www.CountOnCourtenae.com

Family:

My husband Tom and I have been married for 22 years. We have lived in Elmhurst since 2010 and have two children who attend D205 schools, Jack (17 years old) and Hannah (14 years old).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education:

In 1989, I graduated from St. Lawrence University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. In 1991, I graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a Masters degree in Criminal Psychology.

Occupation:

In 2017, I retired from the FBI with 26 years of federal law enforcement experience. For the past 5 years, I have worked for the NFL as a Security Representative assigned to the Chicago Bears and Soldier Field.

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

Elmhurst D205 School Board Member, 2019 - present

The single most pressing issue facing the school board is overseeing the curriculum reviews that I have voted for and this is what I intend to do about it.

In the past year, I have participated in robust discussions with the District about a review of our curriculum. Due to those discussions, the Board has voted to support curriculum reviews of our K-5 ELA programs, our K-12 Math programs and our Dual Language programs.

In the past, there was never this collaborative support for this endeavor. The last time our K-5 ELA programs were reviewed was in 2016/2017 for 5th graders and 2018/2019 for K-1st. Prior to our current ELA review, it was determined through teacher surveys that 75% of our K-5 teachers were creating their own materials for their ELA instruction and 86% of teachers were creating their own assessments. That simply is not the most efficient teaching method nor does it provide for an equitable experience for our students.

I have said this before and I will say it again - it should NOT matter which of our buildings our students are learning in - every student has the right to consistent learning experiences. The burden of curriculum selection and material creation cannot be on our teachers. Our curriculum must be driven by utilizing student data in decision making. We must identify areas of opportunity to elevate our instruction in the classroom and promote student outcomes. Our goals are clear - execute instruction that meets the demands of grade level objectives and then challenge our students to do more; execute instruction with consistent resources, assessments and monitoring so that our students are able to succeed further; and execute instructional practices that promote our students’ developmental needs…help the WHOLE student succeed.

I intend to make sure that our district is fully committed to following the recommendations of the curriculum reviews and provides our teachers the professional development they need to implement those recommendations. I intend to make sure the recommendations are not a rubber stamp across the district - every building has their own personality and their school improvement plan that incorporates the curriculum recommendations should reflect that. I intend to hold the District accountable to continue to support regular data reviews to make sure that our changes are making a difference. I intend to expect that the District will develop classroom-level and school-wide strategies to meet students needs that have been identified by the data. I expect the results to show that the District is setting specific goals and outcomes for each student and that the District is continuing to target practices to identify and support all of our students.

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

Simply put, experience. I have more or as much D205 experience than any other candidate and I know firsthand from both my in-person involvement and being a current parent of D205 students what is happening in our schools. My 26 years of law enforcement experience in the FBI also sets me apart and makes me a better school board member.

For my entire term, I have either Chaired or served on the District’s Policy Committee, where policies from ISBE are reviewed. I was the first Chair of the Policy Committee to implement a mandatory review of every policy at least once every five years, to ensure our policies are truly reflecting what is actually happening in our schools. I have continued to advocate for the on-time and on-budget implementation of our $168.5 million referendum project that our community overwhelmingly supported. Just some of the referendum highlights since I have been on the Board include : the on-time and under-budget opening of our Lincoln Elementary School; the on-time re-building project of Field Elementary School; the renovation of media centers, to include STEM spaces, in many of our schools, with more on the way; the much needed addition of classroom spaces in several of our buildings; and the completion in ALL 14 of our District 205 schools of safe and secure entrances.

I know firsthand the value of working collaboratively with our other city partners. For example, soon after I was elected, I worked relentlessly to re-establish a healthy working relationship with the City of Elmhurst. That work contributed to the completion of an underground stormwater project and brand new turf field at York High School. I also worked together with the Elmhurst Park District to facilitate the opening of a permanent Transition Center for our 18-22 year old Special Education students - who had been in an unsuitable space for the past 10 years. Outside of our Board meetings, I have attended in-school events at ALL of our schools to support our students and staff. It is this in-person involvement in our schools that enables me to appreciate the needs and successes of our students and allows me to connect with our families and staff. During the pandemic, I worked tirelessly to navigate the continually changing pandemic protocols to ensure that District 205 was the first public school district in DuPage County to bring students back to in-person learning. I fought hard to make sure the voices of our students were heard on issues that mattered most to them and to give families the most options available to make the best health decision for their families.

When it comes to our students, nothing is more important than their safety. I have been on the District’s Safety and Security Committee for approximately 6 years. Through this experience, I have worked with all of our buildings, and representatives from the city of Elmhurst, Elmhurst Police Department and Elmhurst Fire Department. I am proud of the collaborative work to develop solutions to keep our students and staff safe.

From a personal standpoint, I have two children currently in District 205 schools, who attended Lincoln Elementary and are now at Bryan and York so I know firsthand what is happening in our schools right now. I think it makes me a better Board member to have students in our D205 buildings because I can bring the parent perspective and understand firsthand the student experience from start to finish in our community unit district.

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

As an experienced, current D205 Board member, I understand the critical role every board member fulfills and am excited to run for my second term. My track record proves that I am a passionate leader, have a students-first focus, make fiscally responsible decisions and build collaborative relationships. I will continue to do my duty to be an effective board member. My priorities and focus will continue to be school safety, academic excellence and fiscal responsibility.

With my 26 years of federal law enforcement experience and 5 years in NFL Security, no other candidate is more qualified to be a subject matter expert on school safety than I am. Even prior to being appointed to the Board of Education, I had been a part of the District’s Safety and Security Committee. Since being elected in 2019, I have spent 4 years on the Policy Committee and the last 3 years as the Chair. Beginning in 2021, I have been the Secretary for the Board of Education. Since 2021, I have been the Chair of the Young Hearts for Life program at York High School. After co-chairing the Ballot Initiative Committee to educate our community regarding the benefits to our facilities of a school referendum, I have continued to advocate for the successful implementation of our $168.5 million referendum project that our community overwhelmingly supported, including the completion of the new Lincoln Elementary School, the in-progress construction of the new Field Elementary School, the renovation of media centers with STEM spaces, additional classroom spaces in several of our buildings, and the completion in ALL 14 of our District 205 schools of safe and secure entrances.

As a District, we have continuously generated financial budgets that provide long-term financial sustainability and at the same time, we have maintained our very high ratings in our Forecast5 Project Model, ISBE Financial Profile and our S&P Credit Rating. In addition, we have consistently received the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting, all while having received no findings in the annual independent Annual Audit process. Among many of the other programs that the District and the Board have been focusing on in this past year is a deep dive into our Special Education programming. We have prioritized providing additional professional development for our teachers in the goal writing process, which has led to an increased collaboration between our District and our Special Education community, and we have restructured our administrative involvement in our Special Education program. And most excitedly, we have expanded the number of extracurricular activities for our special education students, including additional Special Olympics sports options, an enhanced Best Buddies program and the newly added Group Chat.
However, there is more work to be done and I am ready to continue that work for four more years. Continuity on the board will enable that work to continue uninterrupted. We have better communication and transparency now than we did when I was elected and I want to continue to build and strengthen the great bridge that has been created to better unify our community. You can count on me to make decisions in the best interest of our children and our community as a whole.

What can the school do to counteract dropping standardized test scores?

The reality is that the work is being done NOW and is already underway. The District recognizes the challenge and is prioritizing student achievement. In the past 18 months, I have voted for and seen firsthand the proactive steps the District is taking to address gaps in learning and excelling. From the very simple things that people might not notice, to significant steps that are having an immediate impact.

During this past year, the Board tasked our District to undergo curriculum reviews of our ELA curriculum, our math curriculum and our Dual Language program. The results of the ELA curriculum review resulted in immediate changes to curriculum resources and professional development to support those changes. Recently, I voted to support a math curriculum review for K-12, so that necessary steps can be taken now - in time for professional development to occur this spring and summer - so that the new school year sees the implementation of appropriate changes. Furthermore, I was a driving force in making SAT prep classes available to ALL of our Juniors at York High School. I voted to approve a program that provided the classes at no cost to many of our students and a reduced rate to the remainder. During my term, we have implemented All Day Kindergarten to begin the engagement process with our students earlier. I have been very passionate about STEM options for our students and am proud that we have increased the number of Project Lead the Way classes at our Middle Schools and offer during summer school to give more access to STEM opportunities than ever before. I voted for and watched the implementation of the Equal Opportunity Schools Initiative at York Community High School to ensure that all students have the opportunity to access and succeed in our challenging high school curriculum. I encouraged additional resources for our students at York to address pandemic gaps and struggles…from that Saturday Success Academy and Winter/Summer Success Academy were introduced. We have expanded the Dual Language Program and expanded summer school offerings at ALL levels to address pandemic gaps. I will continue to advocate for our students and push our administration and teachers to ensure that our students exceed - not just in the classroom, but in life.

Do you generally support the work of the school district's administration? Why or why not?

In the spring of 2021, I had the opportunity to participate in the selection process for a new Superintendent in our District and am extremely proud to have played a significant role in reviewing and approving Dr. Campbell as the leader of D205. The most significant reason that I supported the hiring of Dr. Campbell is because her vision of student success was simply inspiring.

In her first year and a half, we have already completed a strategic planning review where we engaged with all of the District’s stakeholders - students, parents, teachers, staff, administrators and community residents. Through the use of focus groups, interviews, community surveys and public forums, the shared vision of the future of the District was established. To me, this was a key component of ensuring our future success - the fact that all stakeholders had a voice in identifying our District goals. I support this work because it is critical to make sure D205 is on the cutting edge in learning.

Working collaboratively with the District, now we are undergoing the process of identifying how we are going to measure those goals - what are the indicators that will tell us if we are on the right track, what resources will we need to implement the plan, what is the timeline for professional development and what are the action steps needed to implement the plan in our classrooms.

On top of all that, Dr. Campbell is a passionate, effective leader who is available and responsive to staff, parents, and the Board. She is deeply invested in our schools, our District and our community. She loves to celebrate our successes and is determined to overcome our struggles.

Do you support the district's recent decision to raise the property tax levy by 5 percent, the maximum allowed under state law?

I do support the decision for the levy this year. I think it’s important for our community to understand what that vote meant and how it ACTUALLY impacts our taxpayers. When elected, I swore to be a steward of our taxpayer dollars and I take that oath very seriously. The vote for the levy was only a request to the county. In reality, we will receive less than the requested 5%. However, that vote helps to secure our ability to support the many critical services that our District provides.
Individual taxes are not increased because of the levy, they are increased because the value of a home increases. Not voting for the levy would equate to our District losing the ability to capture the full tax benefit of any new construction in our community. That would have a significant impact on our ability to hire and retain high quality staff and administrators. If we do not capture 100% of new property in its adjustment year, we lose out on that value in the long term.

The current operating expenses in our District per student is the second lowest of all of our comparative districts and the second lowest among the Top 10 High Schools in Illinois. The current administrative costs in our District per student is the fourth lowest out of all unit districts. We have lofty goals and high expectations in our community and we cannot expect to achieve that without the support of our community. In the past 2 years, we have seen our costs rise due to inflation and this is something we anticipate will continue.

While I’ve been on this Board, we have committed to have an annual discussion about abatement, so that we are able to take a look at where we are NOW and make an independent and informed decision about what to do. In my opinion, this is the way to provide tax relief to tax paying members of our community. In years where we are able, such as 2020, I have voted to abate to help alleviate the burden on our taxpayers. I have already indicated my support of abating for this 2023 year and plan on voting accordingly. This is the reason my decision to request the full 5% AND supporting the abatement when able is important.

What is your view of critical race theory? Is it being taught in the local schools? If so, what evidence do you have of that?

In order for us to have a discussion about critical race theory, I believe that it is important for us to start with what critical race theory actually is. Critical race theory is a graduate level academic concept that is more than 40 years old. The core idea is that race is a social construct, and that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies. We do not teach graduate level courses in our K-12 curriculum. When this is our starting point, then we can talk about what I believe.

I will not get drawn into the rhetoric of what is happening in other states or other schools. My focus has been and always will be what is happening in OUR schools. I want our students to have the opportunity to select classes that offer a chance for a robust discussion about controversial topics. As the chair of the Policy Committee, I expect that our teachers and staff are abiding by the policy (6:80) regarding teaching controversial issues, which I reviewed and voted for 2 times during Policy Committee reviews (January and July 2022). This policy ensures that all discussions regarding controversial or sensitive topics in our instructional programs are (among other things) consistent with the curriculum, serve an educational purpose, are informative and present a balanced view, and are respectful of the rights and opinions of everyone.

Our schools SHOULD be the place where our students are able to have discussions where they can express their opinions in a safe learning environment. I want a school environment where free speech and critical thinking are taught. It is imperative that our teachers are guiding balanced discussions and that our teachers are learning our students how to think, not what to think. As a Board member, when a concern about the adherence to our school policies is brought to my attention, I have and will continue to be willing to meet with members of our community to listen to their concerns. My role on the Board of Education is to task our Superintendent and school leaders to enforce our policies, including this one. As a parent of a Bryan Middle School 8th grader and a York High School junior, I have had a front row seat to experience the curriculum, materials and conversations that are being presented in our buildings. I am proud of the experience my children have had in D205 and I will continue to advocate for all students to have positive and balanced interactions with our teachers and staff.

What is your view of sex education in local schools? Should an LGBT component be included? Why or why not?

For the past four years, this Board has advocated for changes in law that directly impacted our students and community. Collaboratively, we have worked with IASB to work in good faith with stakeholders on many issues. This Board and IASB have been clear on their advocacy - the decision making authority regarding the standards and curriculum for sex education in schools should be preserved locally. We will continue to monitor and ensure that the voice of our community and District is heard.
In my opinion, a sexual education program in schools should encompass age appropriate issues related to human growth and development and should equip our students with the education and skills they need to make healthy decisions that fit with their own values and their family’s values. I support age appropriate discussions as part of the sex education curriculum. We have students and same sex parent families in our community and I want them, and all D205 students, to feel that D205 is an inclusive environment. Like all curriculum materials and agendas, I believe it is essential that parents are made aware of what is being taught in the classroom and have access to the materials being utilized. In this way, parents can decide whether or not they would choose to opt out of the classes. I truly believe that children develop at different speeds and it should be the parent’s decision if their child is ready.

All students should learn in settings that are inclusive of their bodies and experiences and given the education necessary to stay safe and healthy. By state law, the District is required to teach Comprehensive Health Education. Sex education in schools is usually one of the few sources of accurate, reliable information on sexuality and sexual health for youth. A well-designed and well-implemented curriculum can reduce risky behavior and help keep all our kids safe.

Will you take questions from the media if you are elected?

I am always available to talk to members of our community about issues that are important to them. When it comes to the media, our School Board Policy (8:10) provides that only the Board President can speak directly to the media as the School Board representative.

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:

My parents raised me to believe that you make a living by what you get; but you make a life by what you give. I have tried to make my parents proud with a lifetime of serving - whether it has been my 26 years in law enforcement; or my volunteer work in the community through Elmhurst Walk In Assistance Network, No Frills Fun Run and Diamonds are Forever Softball Fundraisers; or my volunteer work in our schools, such as the School Board, PTA Council, or the many PTA committees I have chaired or sat on. I have found that my parents were right and that I get much more than I give when I serve others. That is how I have chosen to invest my time and energy and I’m so grateful that I have had the opportunity to give to the students, staff and community that I love.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am an active Visitation parishioner and my husband Tom and I have been married 22 years and have two children. Jack is a Junior at York High School and Hannah is an 8th grader at Bryan Middle School. If you are a resident in our community , please visit my website to get in touch with me directly…I would love to hear from you. CountOnCourtenae.com