Pamela Manicioto: Candidate For Northbrook/Glenview School District 30

NORTHBROOK, IL — Ahead of the April 4 consolidated municipal elections, Northbrook Patch and Glenview Patch provided questionnaires to all candidates on the ballot.

With Nancy Artz, current president, and Daniel Levin, current board member, not running for reelection when their terms end in April, five candidates are vying for four seats on the Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Board of Education on Election Day. The District 30 School Board Caucus is endorsing the campaigns of Ammar Rizki, Pamela Manicioto and Patrick Wang.

The candidates appearing on the ballot next month are:

• Zivit Blonder, current member (term ends in 2023)
• Ammar Mirza Rizki, current member (term ends in 2023)
• Kevin Glowacz
• Pamela Manicioto
• Patrick Wang

Patch is publishing all responses submitted by candidates verbatim.

Pamela Manicioto

39

Town/city of residence

Northbrook

School district

District 30 Northbrook/Glenview

Family

Vito Manicioto, husband, partner at Hupy & Abraham
Luca Manicioto, son, third grader at Wescott
Lorenzo Manicioto, son, first grader at Wescott
Rocco Manicioto, son, preschooler at Glenbrook North High School preschool program

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BA in Political Science from TCU; JD from DePaul University College of Law

Occupation

Stay at home parent; prior work experience as a bankruptcy attorney in Chicago

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/profi...

Previous or current elected or appointed office

None

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

Our has done a wonderful job investing in the improvement of our facilities. We must now focus on how we can best allocate our resources to continue to elevate the overall education for our kids. We should strive to continue to take education to the next level.

The current board has worked effortlessly in finding our new superintendent. The new board members must be ready to help the new superintendent have the smoothest transition. We must work with her leadership to sustain the competitiveness of our district.

Thirdly, the board has implemented new goals as they pertain to diversity, equity, and inclusion. With this framework set in place, we can now work together to move forward and put these ideas into action.

The other candidates and myself come from different backgrounds and all have our own set of unique expertise; however, working as a collective can help our performance as many different perspectives will be voiced.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community or district?

I am running for a open seat. I have always had an interest in education as many of my family members are in education (ie. teachers, professors, school administrators). My decision to run was not worrying about what was done in the past but to focus on the present and a want for moving forward. I care about this community and want to help District 30 continue to thrive.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

1. Diversity, equality, and inclusion: As stated previously, I am aware of the goals set by the board with regards to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. I would like keep pushing this issue to the forefront and put most if not all of the goals into action.

2. Fiscal responsibility: I will strive to use the District's resources as responsibly as possible to improve the needs of the District. With the current wave of teacher shortages, we will have to continue to stay competitive in order to keep such talented teachers while being mindful of not overburdening the taxpayers.

3. Curriculum: With the District's high degree of success, we have to work to not only sustain it but continue to focus on what will get our children to the next level.

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

My first year working as a bankruptcy attorney, I noticed a void in adequate representation for the Spanish-speaking community. Although, it was intimidating voicing my concerns to the partners of the firm as a new associate, I knew it was a must. Once the issues were properly discussed, the firm agreed there was a need and allocated funds for advertising, hiring of Spanish-speaking staff to support me, and eventually hiring many Spanish-speaking attorneys. If I see an issue, I have learned through experience to voice concerns and advocate for what is needed for improvement. I hope to do the same on District 30's school board.

Why should voters trust you?

As a community member as well as a parent in District 30, I will advocate for what is best for the community, kids, and parents. While serving my community, I promise to work hard, be inclusive on views, and balance the needs of the schools without overburdening the community. District 30 is at such a high level of success, but with my creativity and work ethic, I know I can take us to the next level of excellence.

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

I always strive to have an open mind as a community member as well as parent. This is a collective effort but I will never shy away from advocating for the community as a whole.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

As a board member, our goal should always be how to use the District's resources as responsibly as possible to improve the education of our students. As same, we have to take into account that we cannot overburden the taxpayers. It will have to be a conscious effort to balance the needs of the schools with the burden on the taxpayers. Creativity will be necessary in striking this perfect balance.

What are your thoughts on how the district has handled the COVID-19 pandemic?

The board did an outstanding job of handling the pandemic. As a community member, I was witness to the meetings they held in order to gather not only data, science but most importantly the community views. They were leaders in the area as District 30 paved the way for many surrounding school districts as they were among the first to open their doors to our students. They were also extremely flexible and allowed those who did not feel comfortable returning to continue remote learning. Due to the District's leadership and forward thinking, our community was able to minimize the effects of the pandemic in our children.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some school boards saw extremely heated disagreements during public meetings. If elected, what changes, if any, need to be made to ensure meetings are run efficiently while still allowing open discussions?

The board handled such discussions with grace. They opened up multiple meetings for all to voice their opinions on the matter. It was obvious that the board took not only data, science but the opinions of the community and its teachers into account of their decision making. If elected, I would want a similar approach in running efficient meetings with open discussions.

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

First and foremost, as a board, we will always have to follow Illinois law. Once that has been met, we will have to consult with leaders and academics in this field for guidance on how to supplement with comprehensive (ie. all views presented and respected) components into the curriculum. To this day, there is always an opt out option sent to parents and I believe we should continue with this practice to ensure that everyone's opinion is heard.

What are your views on critical race theory and whether it should be taught in the district?

With regards to critical race theory, I believe in the same approach as I previously mentioned in the previous question. We must follow Illinois law with regards to what is to be included in our curriculum. Then follow guidelines set forth by the academics and leaders in this field but always provide an opt out option for parents. Most importantly, we must continue to push the idea of being respectful to all views.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

I believe this is a work in progress but the board is headed in the right direction. I have seen the efforts with the imbedded values in the board's set out goals. An audit of the current curriculum and books has been set to ensure that we are support racial equality. The elementary schools host International Night every year which is a wonderful event that brings the community together to showcase the diverse community within our district. Our teachers have been working hard to implement many diverse holidays into our schools. This past year, the celebration of the Lunar New Year was spectacular and educational for not only our students but the parents as well. I hope that these events continue to grow and showcase how diverse Northbrook truly is.

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?

District 30 has a high degree of success as evidenced by the Blue Ribbon accolades. There is always room for improvement, so my goal would be to not only sustain the level we are at but strive to get us to the next level. We have to get creative in using our resources to get us to that goal. As well as collaborating with the superintendent's leadership and ideas to get us that next level of achievement.

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

No

The best advice ever shared with me was ____________

Dreams remain dreams until you take action.