Patrick Oliphant: Candidate For Summit Hill 161 Board Of Education

FRANKFORT, IL — The consolidated election, which features several local races, will be held on April 1, with early voting starting on March 17. As a way to help keep voters informed, Patch offers candidate questionnaires for all candidates in local races.

One of those races in Frankfort is the race for Summit Hill District 161 Board of Education. There are two candidates running for one unexpired 2-year term; and eight candidates running for four 4-year terms.

The Summit Hill race is slightly crowded and contentious, in part due to a December 2023 vote by the Board to close two of the District's schools. The school district boundaries pull students from parts of Frankfort, Frankfort Square, Mokena and Tinley Park.

One of those candidates is Patrick Oliphant, who is running for a 4-year term. Oliphant recently filled out the Patch candidate questionnaire, and his answers can be found below:

Your Name:

Patrick Oliphant

Campaign website:

FB page "Patrick Oliphant for Summit Hill School Board 161"

Age (as of election day):

42

Town/city of residence:

Arbury Hills (Unincorporated Mokena)

School district:

Summit Hill School District 161

Family (Names, ages and any pertinent details you wish to share):

Rebecca - Wife; Anna - Daughter 5th grade, Henry - Son 2nd grade

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for.

My mom worked a non-political job at Worth Township for over 25 years. My wife works as a substitute school nurse for the school district. She started this position several years before I decided to run for the Board of Education. This is important to note!

Education:

B.A. in History from Northern Illinois University in 2004

Occupation (Please note years of experience):

Local 399 Stationary Engineer/ABM Engineering Manager. I have 18 years of experience in my profession. 15 years in the field as a trainee, Engineer and Chief Engineer, 3 years as an Engineering Manager.

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

None. I was elected to the Student Council in grades 7, 9-12 if that helps!

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

Public trust, transparency, accessibility, student growth. Our children are, and always will be, our highest priority. For student growth, I will request our Superintendent conduct Field Level Studies from our frontline educators and utilize the greatest resource we have: our teachers! I will also network outside of our district to find out the best practices used in the Chicagoland area to grow and maintain sustainable success.

I plan on regaining the public's trust and be transparent by being honest with them, listening to them without judgement or ridicule (which happens at our meetings now, it's on record), clarifying action items and not forcing major votes on the day that they are discussed. I plan on being accessible to the public by attending community events, not just 161 events but major events hosted by our inclusive communities (Tinley Park, Mokena, Frankfort) as well as 161 events like fundraisers, concerts, ect.

Should cell phones be banned during school? Why or why not?

I believe students should be allowed to have cell phones in their backpack, and be free to contact family (should they need to) during their bus rides to and from school. There was an issue where my daughter's school bus got lost and drove to Matteson, and students having cell phones was the only way that parents knew the whereabouts of the bus in real time.

If you are a challenger, what do you bring to the board and what may you plan to change?

I plan to bring several things that will help the district on day 1. I have 18 years of experience not only understanding Facilities Mechanical Operations from a mechanical standpoint, but from a financial one as well. In my role as Chief Engineer, there was no Property Manager so I assembled multi-million dollar Operational and Capital Budgets, submitted my data for review by the Board's Finance Officer and collaborated with the Board to finalize the budgets (I worked at a high end Co-Op, so everyone who lived there was an owner and I worked directly with the Board of Directors). I than implemented those budgets for the property and oversaw all operations on site.

I will also bring my experience as a United States Green Building Council Leed Green Associate. This certification focus' on what's known as the Triple Bottom Line: Economic, Environmental and Community success. This fundamental business practice can, and is, applied to all types of organizations in both the business and public service world, and creates an atmosphere of upward mobility by its very nature. It is a method of operations that is made up of all that we do and is directly applicable to the role of School Board Member and the responsibilities that the position brings.

Finally, I plan on bringing an attitude of dignity and respect. I plan on continuing to lead by example that our neighbors are not our enemies in this ever-divisive world. Collectively, we all have way more in common than we do differences, and we have the same needs and goals as community members. Listening to all perspectives and compromising to achieve growth within the community is a strength, not a weakness. I plan to lead this philosophy with actions, and not just words.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

Student growth, accountability, safety in our schools, transportation services, fiscal responsibility and financial transparency.

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

As Chief Engineer, I was the primary advisor for a Board of Directors that was comprised almost entirely of incredibly difficult personalities (all top financial 1% members of society) and turned a toxic environment (financially, mechanically and culturally) into one of long-term sustainable success and installed a renewed sense of community there. I improved communications and worked with people that had very different views and interests to create common goals, communicate them clearly and encourage everyone to participate not only for their own good, but for the good of their lived community.

I currently manage 150 union employees and am highly skilled in holding teams accountable, while working with them to encourage and grow sustainable success. I assess each of my teams' strengths and weaknesses, and work with them to turn their weaknesses into strengths. I work with clients (Property Managers) to provide our teams with the tools and resources they need to be successful, and work with those clients to communicate why it is in their best interest to do so. These leadership experiences translate directly into the role of a successful School Board Member.

Why should voters trust you?

I have proven that I am willing to put in the hard work for the public's best interests. During our school closing process, I found while going door to door with an informal petition requesting the BOE delay the school closings, that the public in general did not think that their voices mattered and felt there was a complete disconnect with their local governments. I chose to reject that notion and give a voice back to the people because in a local democracy, everyone's voice matters.

This summer, I worked to create a legal petition to get an Advisory Referendum on the November ballot concerning public approval of the school closings process. I personally worked to earn over 1000 signatures and led the effort to get this measure on the ballot (and survived a legal challenge of the petition by a community member). On the record, 10,385 SHSD161 Voters rejected the process employed by our BOE to close the schools. In doing so, I fought the BOE leadership and won in the court of public opinion, and I helped to restore a voice to the people. This is just the beginning of the work I hope to employ in service to our community.

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

The first, obviously, is improved test scores and student safety. We cannot lose focus that our most prized community members, our children, are always at the top of the list in importance. We must also accept and understand the positive and negative roles technology, especially social media, has on our children. We must work with parents to communicate those opportunities AND dangers that technology and social media present to our children.

Restore community connectivity/public trust. Before Arbury Hills was closed and sold off, one of my favorite activities was walking my kids to and from school anytime I had the opportunity. As a newer member of the neighborhood, I met so many neighbors that way, and really felt we were a part of a community. Our district doesn't have a town hall, we have our schools. Our residents live in Tinley Park, Mokena and Frankfort. I plan on promoting 161 events, proposing new events (creating savings in operations to pay for any proposed plans) and plan on working with mayors of our inclusive towns to participate in local events such as Frankfort Fall Fest and the Mokena 4th of July/Tinley Park St Patrick's Day parades. I also plan on using School District property to promote inclusion and participation in local elections. Nonpartisan notifications of upcoming election dates. Doing so, we will lead by example in teaching our students the importance of civic engagement. Once this is accomplished, the public's trust will follow organically out of these accomplishments.

What guidance should staff be given for dealing with potential ICE enforcement at schools?

Direct any law enforcement to contact district officials. We have a very similar policy in my current profession.

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

As the onset of puberty starts at earlier ages, there is a role for sexual education in our schools, particularly in the Junior High. I believe that education should be based on the biology of reproductive organs, not sexuality in any form.

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?

Our district is doing a lot of things well, and I am not looking to change that. I plan on encouraging the networking of our top administration officials with those from leading schools in our state to find out what practices they employ to earn higher success.

I am also eager to implement a dual language learning program in our district (thank you Adrian Chavez, fellow candidate, for proposing this idea). My nephew was in a program like this, and a friend of mine worked to get this program implemented in her district. Students in this program test lower than the median generally for the first couple of years. Around year three, they catch up with their peers, and from year four and on, they surpass their peers in testing across the board.

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

No. I am running with a full commitment to my community.

(If you are a candidate in the upcoming April 1 election, please email andrea.earnest@patch.com for a candidate questionnaire to share your positions with readers)

Frankfort Election Guide: What’s On The Ballot, What To Know

Here is a look at the candidates for Summit Hill District 161:

• Board Member, unexpired 2-year term (vote for one)
  • Katie Campbell (incumbent)
  • Melissa Ryan
• Board member, four-year term (vote for four)
  • Stefanie McCleish (incumbent)
  • Amy Berk (incumbent)
  • Adrian Chavez
  • Patrick Oliphant
  • Ronnie Petrey
  • Jim Martin (incumbent)
  • Cicily Gant
  • Bill Curtin