Rob Roop: Grayslake District 46 Board Candidate

Name: Rob Roop

Age: 42

Family: Married for 13 years with two kids in Meadowview Elementary

Education: BS in International Economics and an MBA

Occupation: Software Sales Engineer

Previous Elected or Appointed Offices: None

Other Community Involvement: Grayslake Exchange Club and D46 Education Foundation

Position sought: CCSD 46 School Board

Campaign E-mail address: rroop.d46@gmail.com

Campaign committee: Friends of D46 Focus on Education

Campaign website: http://www.d46focusoneducation.com/

Campaign Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/D46FocusOnEducation

Campaign Twitter: None

Why are you running?

Voters only need to watch the first 15 minutes of the March 6^th School Board meeting to understand why I am running.  The school district faces a number of difficult challenges that cannot be solved if the board does not collaborate and cooperate to solve them. The board is going to have to make many hard and uncomfortable decisions over the next few years that will take integrity, intelligence and independence. Poor quality decisions will negatively impact the education we provide our children, the financial health and reputation of the district and by extension our property values and quality of life. We have to dedicate the best of our abilities to solving the problems facing our schools,  put aside personal differences and be prepared to look beyond our opinions and ideologies.

In what ways would the District 46 board benefit from your service?

My motivation to form a slate with Jill Alfrejd, Steve Strack and Jim Weidman is to seat four new members that share a common view that our schools deserve better leadership. We want to change the combative nature of recent board meetings and put an end to the rancor and confrontation. Without any incumbents running for re-election we have a unique opportunity when elected to change the demeanor and culture of the board.

What do you think should be done about the district's projected deficit? What areas should be targeted for potential budget cuts?

The key facts are that in spite of the school board cutting the current year's budget by $2.5 million there is still a $1.2 million deficit. Revenues are expected to fall again for 2014 meaning the district will continue to face significant challenges. Dealing with these challenges will require time, thought and cooperation.

I spent many hours analyzing the the district’s $49 million budget and finances last fall.  The rising costs of health insurance, transportation and wages coupled with shortfalls in state and federal and flat revenues from property taxes have created a mathematical certainty that even if the district levies the maximum amount the district will continue to face financial challenges.

I am very concerned that the board recently approved the administration’s request hire a Curriculum Director two weeks after approving plans to reduce teachers, teaching assistants and other delivery staff through lay-offs.  

I also have issues with the budgeting methodology that the district follows. Instead of starting with a clean sheet and deciding how much money should be spent the district looks at the previous year’s budget and expenditures and targets areas for cuts.

What do you think about the possibility of closing a school as a potential cost-saving measure?

Our district is fortunate to have neighborhood oriented Kindergarten through Fourth grade schools and it is one of the aesthetic and quality elements that attracts families to our district. The fact that the topic has been broached publicly by the board without any discussion of the rationale has perpetuated the appearance of opaque and ill-informed decision making. I want the administration to describe the rationale with an honest assessment of the pros and cons before any additional speculation takes place.

How do you feel about the way the teacher's contract and strike were handled? Is there anything you would have done differently?

We obviously do not know what took place behind the closed doors of the negotiating room but considering how close the sides were and where they settled it is my opinion that the strike could have been avoided had the district not attempted by-pass the tradition of step and lane changes with one-time bonuses. The district’s financial situation and forecasts are well known and the district cannot solve the financial challenges without the partnership of the teachers and para-professionals.

What will you do to ensure there is more unity amongst school board members?

The board depends on the public's trust. In recent years there have been questions about hiring, transparency and spending. This has been compounded by the bickering on the school board. The Focus on Education slates believes that we can respectfully disagree and still accomplish the crucial work of the school board by insuring that the district provides a quality education and spends tax payer's dollars responsibly.

The members of the Focus on Education slate have agreed that we can disagree without resorting to the rancor and personal attacks that have been so common over the past few years. The children in our schools and the residents of our district deserve the best of our abilities and we need to dedicate these abilities to solving the district’s problems not scoring points in personal disagreements.

What else do you want voters to know?

As a parent in the district I understand the concerns of fellow parents and tax payers. I also understand the difficulties and challenges that district households have faced in recent years with slow economic growth and declining property values. I care about the families in the district and share their concerns that the quality of learning in our children’s classrooms has to be maintained while also understanding the impact of taxes on family budgets.