Evanston School Board Candidate Profile: Leah Piekarz

EVANSTON, IL — Four candidates are running for three contested seats on the Evanston Township High School District 202 school board in the April 4 municipal elections.

Two incumbents are seeking re-election: Monique Parsons and Elizabeth Rolewicz. They face two challengers: Leah Piekarz and Kristen Scotti.

Evanston Patch provided all candidates with a questionnaire ahead of Tuesday's vote and publishes their responses verbatim.

Leah Piekarz

Age (as of Election Day)
55

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Education
Northern Illinois University - M.S. Ed., School Counseling
University of Illinois Chicago - M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction
University of Virginia - B.A., Spanish Language and Linguistics

Occupation
Evanston Township High School, 2001 - 2022: School Counselor / Lead Counselor (12 years)
Lynbrook Public Schools, Lynbrook, NY and Community High School District #218, Oak Lawn & Palos Heights, IL: High School Spanish Teacher (7 years) and International Student Exchange Coordinator (4 years)

Campaign Website
piekarz4d202.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office
None

The most pressing issues facing the district are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them.
One of the most pressing issues is the gap in academic opportunities and outcomes by race, disability, gender identity, and income status - and its persistence. We must continue to foster equity and inclusion, not become complacent, not lose our sense of urgency, and be bold in considering new ways to eliminate this gap. This means continuing to support some of the school’s existing efforts like pathways to honors courses, academic supports, and our social consciousness summits which affirm and celebrate students’ individual identities. This also means continuing our efforts to hire and retain faculty and staff of color. And this means seeking student voice and faculty voice as to what’s working in the classroom and what’s not.

I have great empathy and compassion for the current generation of high school students. They have been living through the pandemic which has greatly impacted their educational experience, their mental health, and their socialization. They live under the threat that climate change poses for their future, the ever-present concern about gun violence and school safety, and they live in a country which is experiencing bitter political divisiveness, a rise in racism, gender discrimination, anti-Semitism, ableism, anti-immigrant attitudes, and attacks on women’s rights. We must prioritize mental health even though we are an educational institution with academics at the core of our mission. In today’s world, it is imperative that we incorporate social-emotional learning and support in all that we do, while we maintain high expectations and demonstrate empathy.

In terms of college and career readiness, we need to ensure that all students have a viable post-high school plan, and that means empowering them with the knowledge and skills that enable them to pursue the multiple pathways available to them.

And lastly, we must ensure all students and staff feel safe in school - not only physically but also emotionally. School safety is more complicated than simply the issue of whether to install metal detectors or not. We have to explore technical solutions AND maintain a healthy culture and climate in the school.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
Having been a high school educator for 28 years and a school counselor and leader at Evanston Township High School for 21 years, I have a wealth of experience and intimate knowledge about the inner workings of the district. I've participated in or I was a member of many committees and initiatives centered around areas such as equity work, curriculum, post-secondary planning, and ETHS scholarships. I have honed the ability to understand and engage multiple perspectives. I am an independent thinker who will be able to approach the work of the School Board with an informed and critical lens.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform
I want to elevate student voice. I believe we need to listen to what students are saying about what makes school relevant, meaningful, and inspiring to them. And I believe that faculty and staff must be supported in order to best serve our students, and in turn, our community. Our faculty and staff deserve the opportunity to have access to cutting edge professional development, and the time and space to reflect upon their practice and to grow professionally. Administrators need to be creative and effective in finding ways to take administrative tasks off of teachers' plates, so that they may focus their maximum attention on teaching and learning, and building relationships with their students.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
Serving as the Lead Counselor at ETHS for 12 years required the ability to build consensus and to listen to multiple viewpoints while working to best serve students. As someone who was elected to 6 three-year terms on the ETHS Teachers' Council (IEA union affiliate), I proved my ability to represent the TC membership in a open-minded and responsive manner. My participation on two contract negotiations teams illustrates my dedication to improving working conditions for teachers and learning conditions for students.

Why should voters trust you?
I deeply care about the students of our district and our community. I am part of the ETHS family and the Evanston community, and I believe that each student deserves the same care and attention that I would want for those in my own family. I believe my record demonstrates that I am a thoughtful collaborator who is passionate about trying to make ETHS live up to its vision of equitable education for all students.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?
I will feel accomplished if as a Board, we are able to work together to advance policies and practices in collaboration with the Superintendent that move the needle in terms of narrowing the opportunities gap for our most marginalized students and increases all students' sense of belonging at ETHS.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?
At ETHS, we have been blessed with sound fiscal management by our CFO and business staff, and we have consistently maintained our Moody's AAA Bond Rating since 2008. Additionally, the Board’s ETHS Digest: Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) which outlines the district’s finances and budget has earned the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting for several consecutive years.

What would you do to improve the district's retention and recruitment of educational professionals?
The Board should continue to push our Human Resources department to employ the most effective recruiting efforts in seeking new hires, provide a budget that commits dollars to faculty excellence & support, and track the data on the hiring and retention of faculty of color. It also is important to listen to and take into account the feedback of currently employed faculty of color regarding their experience at ETHS.

For several years, we have had an Introduction to Teaching course listed in our Course Request Guide, but to my knowledge, it only has run once due to a lack of interest. This is a course that serves as an Education Career Pathways program and provides students with an opportunity to explore a career in education. Getting creative about recruiting students to take this course could serve as a way to prepare some of our own ETHS students to prepare for a career in education - and potentially to return to ETHS as faculty.

In what areas, if any, are students in the district exceeding standards? In what ways, if any, are they falling behind?
We know that there has been a downward trend in math achievement at ETHS. Articulation between District 65 and District 202 is fundamental to reversing this trend, as is adapting our teaching approach at the high school level to the present-day needs of our students. In math and literacy, vertical alignment of the D65 middle school curriculum with the D202 math and humanities curriculum should be the goal. At the high school, we must assess what incoming freshmen have learned and what they have not learned in terms of math skills and knowledge. All must acknowledge that the pandemic contributed to learning loss, and the D202 teaching approach must address this. This cannot simply be measured by grades, but must be measured by what math skills students have retained and are able to apply to their high school math coursework. At all levels, from support classes to advanced placement classes, teachers cannot simply move forward with the next level in material, but must review, reinforce, and even reteach when necessary what came before.

Do you think the current school board has done enough to support racial equality? If not, what specifically should be done to do so?
I think the current school board is genuinely committed to supporting racial equity, and is eager for the administration to be bold and creative in its efforts to address this issue. Moving forward, it will be important to not let up on these efforts.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?
No, there is not.

The best advice ever shared with me was:
We must be the change we wish to see in the world.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
Serving on the D202 School Board would be an honor and privilege that I do not take lightly. I strongly believe that our ability to provide a truly equitable and excellent education for all students is integral to the health of our community.