Asma Akhras, Hinsdale D86 Board Candidate

HINSDALE, IL — Asma Akhras is one of five candidates for three seats on the Hinsdale High School District 86 board. Here are her responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Name:

Asma Akhras

Town of residence:

Darien

Attendance zone (Central or South):

Hinsdale South

Age:

48

Campaign contact email:

asmaford86@gmail.com

Campaign website:

www.asmaford86.com

Family:

My family consists of my spouse and my three kids (24, 21, and 13).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education:

• Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
• Elementary Certified, Secondary Certified
• Administrative Licensure
• Currently pursuing Ed. D. in Policy, Organization, & Leadership

Occupation:

Current role: Implementation Leader of Curriculum at Great Minds

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

Board of Directors, Indian Prairie Public Library in Darien, IL

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

The next D86 Board of Education will be responsible for hiring our district's future superintendent. Conducting an effective national search and choosing the best leader for our community will be the board's most important task. I am well-suited to help lead that process, as I have over 20 years of expertise in education, and I have lived in this community for most of my life.

In addition to hiring a superintendent, the new board must develop our district's next strategic plan. A forward-focused strategic plan requires collaboration, productive dialogue, and research. I will review data to form an accurate, definitive representation of school performance, identify key strategic goals, and work with my fellow board members and D86 stakeholders to outline the best plan for our district.

We face many important decisions that require a strong and cohesive board, one that is willing to navigate conversations collegially and thoughtfully. I have met with administrators, board members, and community members over the past two months, and each of these conversations has highlighted the need to rebuild trust and collaboration among all stakeholders. Without that trust and collaboration, both the process of hiring a new superintendent and developing our new strategic plan cannot succeed.

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

There are two critical differences between me and my fellow candidates: 1. I have over two decades of experience in the field of education, and 2. I am the only candidate running from the Hinsdale South attendance area.

First, I have more than 20 years of expertise in education. I’m an Illinois licensed principal with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. I’ve presented at national education conferences, consulted with school district administrative teams, and supervised student teachers. My experience gives me a clear understanding and vision for how curriculum, instruction, and assessment work together systemically. This is directly relevant at D86, giving me a unique perspective that supports the collaborative effort to set our vision. My experiences in education position me to help lead the process of hiring our next superintendent. I will hold the administration accountable to the highest standards while ensuring that we set realistic expectations and support all types of learners.

The second critical difference is that I am the only candidate from the Hinsdale South attendance area. I am the proud parent of two South graduates and a current freshman, and I’ve lived in the district for most of my life. I feel strongly that every board member must listen to all perspectives and do their best to represent the entire community. However, both schools should be represented on our Board of Education. The only current board member from the South area is not running for re-election, making it vital to elect a highly qualified candidate, like me, to ensure cross-district representation on the board.

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

My professional background in education and my active community engagement make me highly qualified to serve on the D86 Board of Education. Each of these roles brings experience that has taught me the right questions and benchmarks to lay out when making critical education decisions.

I currently work for an independent, non-profit organization that focuses on knowledge building through curriculum. I support the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school system within the United States, with curriculum implementation. This includes meeting with district leadership to plan and execute an effective curriculum implementation. I also facilitate professional development for school administrators and teachers across the nation.

In addition, I have been a leading member of the Accreditation Engagement Review team for an independent organization that reviews schools for high quality education standards using an effective, research-based accreditation process that includes collecting both quantitative and qualitative school data. This experience gives me an appreciation for understanding schools as systems and what high-quality education looks like in its actuality.

Most importantly, I’m a mother of three who loves to use my experience to nurture our community. I’ve served on the Darien 61 Foundation, the Hinsdale South Foundation, and the Board of Directors for Indian Prairie Public Library. I’m currently serving on the D86 Cultural Equity and Leadership Team (CELT).

I will bring all of these experiences, and many others, to the table with me as I evaluate issues critical to the future of D86.

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

First, we need to continue the effort to align curriculum and assessment across D86, with a focus on creating common formative and summative assessments for teachers to proctor student learning and be able to predict students’ learning pathways. A common formative assessment could be something as simple as a set of debrief questions determined collaboratively by teachers in a specific department to evaluate student understanding of a particular lesson or unit. These questions tie directly to specific learning objectives that will be evaluated in standardized tests. This allows teachers across the district to support students as they continue along their learning trajectory, which ultimately should be reflected as higher standardized test scores.

Second, our strategic plan needs to include a goal for raising standardized test scores with a focus on access and equity for every student. An example of a successful program already in effect at both D86 high schools is the SAT intervention program, which is aimed at offering additional instructional support for identified students. Actionable, specific goals are critical in addressing identified needs.

Finally, we need to create a SIP (School Improvement Plan) for each high school, focusing on unique campus contexts and aligned with the overall district strategic plan. The SIP plan will allow building administrators with the teaching staff to be laser-focused on specific target goals set out by the SIP.

Do you support Superintendent Tammy Prentiss? Why or why not?

A Board of Education’s most important responsibility is the hiring and management of the district’s superintendent. Superintendent Prentiss has announced her retirement in approximately 17 months, and the current board has already approved her last day.

Our top priority is to start a national search immediately to find and attract the best superintendent candidates. We need a talented leader who understands our community dynamics and the local context of D86. We also need a leader who is ready and able to move us in the right direction. In the meantime, I plan to do all that I can to ensure the current administration supports our students during this transition.

My focus is on moving D86 forward. We must prioritize unity and collaboration among all key stakeholders, including the administration and all board members. Otherwise, the process to hire the next superintendent is likely to fall short of our highest expectations as a community. It would not make financial sense or be prudent to fire Ms. Prentiss, hire an interim superintendent, and then hire a new superintendent shortly after. The resulting distraction and instability would be the worst environment during which to conduct a successful search.

What is your view of Superintendent Tammy Prentiss' handling last year of the anti-racist consultant who called Hinsdale "dangerous"? Do you believe the school board should release the report from the investigation into that matter? Why or why not?

I am fully aware of the Valburn Consulting Group incident. I have viewed the board meetings and read all board minutes and articles about this issue. I know this complex incident has created division within the board and our community. I do not believe that Superintendent Prentiss handled this situation well.

We all recognize the importance of diversity and equity, and regardless of one’s political opinion, these issues are real. We have data detailing how we serve the various populations in D86, whether it’s our low-income students, students with IEPs, ethnic minority students, or multi-lingual students. The superintendent’s leadership on diversity and equity has been aligned with D86’s needs.

As a licensed administrator who understands the nuances of publicity and of handling complex issues, the case with the Valburn Consulting Group was mismanaged. Could our superintendent have handled the situation differently? Absolutely. I know there are members of the community who are hurting from this. She should have stepped back and sought multiple perspectives on the best course of action.

With all that being said, my goal is for us to heal from this issue and put our energy on moving ahead by looking to the future of D86, starting a national search for the next superintendent, and moving forward together as one, united community.

Do you believe there is equity between Central and South high schools? Why or why not?

We have not achieved equity between our two facilities. Equity is meeting students where they are and ensuring that every single student has access to what they need to succeed. There are various factors that impact this and the reality is that students in each building may have both overlapping and differing needs. This means appropriate interventions for every single student to help them achieve growth throughout their academic career. Equity also means equal access to rigorous course offerings for every student.

Each of our amazing schools has its own contextual and demographic reality, but it is crucial as a district that we provide consistent resources and opportunities for all students who are above, at, or below grade level. We are fortunate to have a top-ranked, leading district, and while some think the two high schools are vastly different, we have more in common that we should be leveraging. Achieving equity at both schools requires streamlining our curriculum, Program of Studies, some common assessments, differentiation, and intervention strategies to leverage our strengths and resources district-wide.

I was surprised to find out that neither of our schools have a SIP (School Improvement Plan), which is absolutely necessary to address each school’s goals and measure each school’s progress. In any successful business model, growth and target goals are tied to the overall strategic plan. Currently, I have not yet identified a plan that helps each school building focus on its own context to increase results within the context of the overall district. We need to work on this in order to achieve equity in both buildings.

Do you support a boundary change between Central and South to equalize enrollments? Why or why not?

Creating equity between Central and South requires a more complex set of solutions than simply prescribing a boundary change. This is a complex conversation and we should consider all factors, like enrollment trends at our feeder schools, community demographic changes, impact on families, allocation of resources, and much more.

More importantly, the reason this issue continues to come up is because of differences in access to courses as a result of a smaller population at Hinsdale South. We should continue to explore and understand the contributing factors and discuss realistic solutions that create opportunities and maximize access for all students at both schools.

These types of decisions are never simple and they require a lot of community dialogue, trust and support. It is the school board’s responsibility to ensure that all students have access to courses throughout their academic career that help them achieve the highest potential and support their academic needs and interests at both schools.

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?

Critical race theory is a postgraduate level concept dating back to the 1980s. It is not taught in D86 or virtually any secondary schools across the country. It has become a catch-all term for many politicized debates about diversity and equity. Conversations surrounding equity from all aspects of our community, however, are real and important discussions.

It is imperative for me that every single student within D86, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or family income, has a sense of belonging. Research shows that a sense of belonging is the largest indicator for student success. I will always advocate for schools to be safe places for all students and that whenever there is dialogue around important and nuanced issues, we have thoughtful, grounded discussions that promote the development of future citizens who contribute effectively to our world.

We live in a multicultural and multiethnic community. It is important that when students leave D86, they have an understanding and respect for those differences. As an educator with 20+ years in educational environments, I value the amount of effort, time, and research invested in curriculum and resources that we rely on to inform and educate our students.

Recently, the Institute of Education Science published a report on the importance of student sense of belonging referring to the sense of students feeling included, supported, and accepted. The research suggests five types of culturally responsive practices teachers can uphold when we think of our diverse student population. Those include: 1. maintaining and communicating high expectations, 2. committing to building a caring classroom and school community, 3. seeking and leveraging knowledge of student background, 4. cultivating-cultural communication, and 5. promoting and developing student agency over their school experiences.

In addition to teaching a culturally responsive curriculum, all students in D86 deserve the support to develop the knowledge and skills to reckon with our past, shape a better future and pursue their dreams.

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

Illinois specified local control for schools on the issue of sex education. The sex ed law is clear about giving parents choice to opt out and not much has changed in terms of what is mandated.

What is important to me is that parents are aware that they have the choice to opt out. I believe parents should have the ability to decide what their kids are learning about. I also support legal guardians’ rights over their students' educational decisions. These conversations are private and should come down to the family’s decision.

As for students who identify as LGBTQ+, it is vital that they - like all students - have a sense of belonging within our schools to optimize their learning opportunities. Currently, I serve on the D86 CELT committee which includes students of many varying backgrounds. I have been impressed with these young adults as they share their experiences and concerns while also providing concrete, actionable suggestions on how to improve inclusivity in D86 (... and, they are watching the adults to see if we are listening to their concerns!).

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

I will abide by the District’s policies when it comes to communicating with the media. I know that a board of education member is one person among a team of seven and a single board member cannot speak on behalf of the entire board (unless you are the Board President). I commit to transparency and communication, but I will abide by the policies the Board has set forth on this topic.

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

I am committed to fulfilling my full term of office and will uphold the trust given to me by the community to prioritize the needs of students at D86.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The best advice ever shared with me was: “Strive, do your best, and know that you can control only what you can control. Submit yourself.”

I was given this advice during a very difficult time for my family when one of our children faced complex and potentially fatal health issues. As a mother, I did not know what the future would hold. It was hard to grasp the lack of control I had to be able to do everything possible to help my child. I found comfort in these words, recognizing my limitations as a human being.

These words stay with me in every endeavor I pursue. I strive to do my ultimate best and then let things play out the way they need to.

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

I want voters to know that I have been part of this community since I was in high school in the early 90s. My student-teaching experience was in Gower School District 62, one of our D86 feeders. My administrator shadowing experience was at Lyons Township High School, providing me with experience around how local high schools are similar and different.

I have witnessed the many changes our community has gone through. I have raised two Hinsdale South graduates, and I personally witnessed how their experience at Hinsdale South shaped them to become the young adults they are today. My third child now is a freshman at Hinsdale South and my commitment to give back to our district is stronger than ever. This starts with my deep passion for education that makes me the perfect candidate to help our district focus on the most pressing issues, together.