John Bishof III, Elmhurst D205 Candidate

ELMHURST, IL – John Bishof III is one of five candidates for three seats on the Elmhurst School District 205 board.

Here are his responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Editor's note: The views expressed in the responses are the candidate's and are unedited by Patch.

Name:

John S. Bishof III

Town of residence:

Elmhurst

Age:

45

Campaign contact email:

johnsbishofiii4d205@gmail.com

Family:

Wife Christine, Kids John, Alex, Kassiani

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

Education:

Bachelors in Economics from University of Chicago Class of 2000

Occupation:

Stay at home Dad (formerly in Government Finance)

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

Past President of Edison Elementary PTA current Board Member (Web Admin)

The single most pressing issue facing the school board is ________, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing the school board is to attract and retain the best teachers. Having the best teachers will provide a robust education to our students and preparing them academically and emotionally for college or career. We need to support these teachers by keeping class size reasonable and providing resources to teach the curriculum. We need to make certain that we are allowing teachers to teach accurate history and current events without allowing special interest groups to ban books or topics. We need to make certain our teachers are providing a welcoming environment in which to learn regardless of race, religion, politics, income, gender, or lifestyle. Our students deserve a classical education where they are exposed to many different subjects and grow to have a love for learning. We can only achieve this by focusing on resources for our teachers and students and their well-being.

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

As both a parent with kids enrolled currently and a D205 graduate myself (Jackson, Bryan, and York), I'm able to compare experiences that current students are experiencing with those of my own. Having felt that D205 provided me with an excellent education and preparation for college, I'm going to hold our district to very high standards. Further, during my career in Government Finance, I've had much experience dealing with large projects fitting into set budgets. I will use my experience with budgeting and finance to aid in taking on projects that benefit our district while keeping within our budget.

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

I was Edison Elementary's PTA President as we emerged from covid. There were many strong feelings on public get-togethers and masks. I was able to work with people from all sides to successfully provide an excellent student experience in our programming, events, and activities through the PTA. I pledge to work with my fellow board members and listen to all constituents as a School Board Member.

The state has given its worst financial rating to the district; that rating remains in effect. Is this fair? What can be done about it?

The district's financial condition is strong. The rating will change. It was only issued due to the manner the district was reporting cash flows in their accounting. The District has changed their methodology in accounting to more accurately report our financial condition to the state, which will result in the credit rating improving.

Are the district's property taxes too high, too low or just about right? Explain.

I think they are quite high and I don't want them increasing. I do want District 205 to be a premier school district that provides a robust education and activities for its population and that does cost money. I'd like to see our property taxes remain flat for the foreseeable future.

Do you support the district's increase in the number of employees even while enrollment is flat? Why or why not?

I do support increasing the number of teachers in the district. Class size has been increasing, and that isn't good for our students or our teachers. There are many classes at or just below their limit and our average class size has increased over the past decade. We're almost 20% higher than the state average. (24.2 vs. 20.8)

What is your view of students' performance on standardized tests? What can be done to improve scores?

Performance on standardized tests has improved in K-8 in the district. We just had record IAR scores since the inception of the test. As these younger students who have more time with the current curriculum make their way through High School, I believe we'll see scores improve. If that turns out not to be the case, I'd like to reevaluate the current curriculum. As it stands, I believe we need to stick with our current curriculum as it would indicate improvement over time.

How can the district narrow the gap in performance between low- and high-income students?

By continuing to monitor student data to ensure programs and supports are in place for low-income students. The gap has narrowed over the last year, especially in ELA test scores. We need to continue to provide additional academic and social emotional support to students in need to ensure they progress at a similar rate to higher-income students.

How is the district doing in getting good and bad news to the community?

The district releases information in a timely manner across numerous platforms. Everyone wants to know everything immediately. Good news is easy to rush out with little consequence even if there are errors. Bad news can have many legal, fiscal, and other consequences when released errantly. I'd rather our district concentrate on getting accurate information out to the community in a timely manner rather than rushing to provide information immediately that might not be correct. Transparency and accuracy are paramount.

How do you view the district's handling of the situation around its former facilities director, Todd Schmidt?

It seems like they handled it appropriately. Once it was discovered, Todd Schmidt resigned. His supervisor Chris Whelton resigned. The board investigated the whole matter. So long as no other malfeasance is found, policies and processes are followed going forward so this does not happen again, I'm unsure what else the board could have done.

The district has declined to say who authorized Mr. Schmidt's personal spending on the district's credit card. Should the district reveal this information? Why or why not?

I believe in transparency so I think they should reveal this information. However, it would seem that Chris Whelton took responsibility by offering his resignation.

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

None.