Meet Lucy Shalash: Kirby School District 140 Candidate

TINLEY PARK, IL — Meet Lucy Shalash, Kirby School District 140 School board candidate. The Consolidated Elections are April 6.

Shalash recently filled out the Patch candidate survey, and her answers can be seen below.

If you are a candidate for the April election, and would like to answer our Patch candidate questionnaire, please email yasmeen.sheikah@patch.com.

Lucy Shalash

Age (as of election)

48

Town/city of residence

Tinley Park

School District

Kirby School District 140

Family

I have an incredible family of 6 great people I get to call my own. My husband Al, 4 daughters Janine, Nowal, Leann, Sara and the caboose of our family is our son Atala. My girls are all out of Kirby 140 and are either at Andrew High School or in college. Atala attends 5th grade at Bannes.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education

I was raised in Lexington, Kentucky so I was fortunate enough to begin college at UK. What a great experience! However, after getting married, I left the south and came to Illinois to wrap up my teaching degree at St. Xavier University. I attained my master’s degree in 2011 from Concordia University.

Occupation

I have been a teacher in Orland School District 135 for 25 almost years.

Campaign website

all4ksd140.com

Previous or current elected or appointed office

N/A

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

If this were normal life and any other year except for the 2020-21 school year, this would be a question that would make me stop and think. However, there isn’t much to think about when all administrators, teachers, board members, parents and students talk about is a safe return to school. I am a firm believer that we need to make decisions that will reflect what is best for our children. Many families have ideas defining what is best for them. This, as we all know, isn’t always what is best for all. The most pressing issue for any school board is trying to please everyone. Sadly, this school year we have been dealt a situation that is hard to get a handle on. Luckily, the return to normalcy seems to be peeking around the corner. So, my intention would be to work with fellow board members in making a seamless transition for our families to attain the education their kids deserve.

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

Running on a slate with the 3 new friends I have made throughout the past year has taught me so much. Carol DeMicheal, Tom Martelli and Aileen Mullee Dituri and I are so incredibly different, yet not surprisingly have the identical goal: we want to do what is best for our Kirby community. I believe that the biggest difference between me and the other candidates running along with me is that I teach at the K-8 level. I have a look into the front line with students. It is one thing to administer policy, make decisions, and talk with committees than it is to actually live out the schedule daily with the kids. I see what ideas / programs work, I also see what doesn’t. Being a teacher for 25 years has formed me into the person I am today. The old saying is, “there’s always 2 sides…..” Well, looking through these lenses I wear helps me see what the other side of the story goes through, therefore I can validate in order to appreciate.

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

When the pandemic began, I drove around town noticing signs thanking teachers and administrators. Honestly, there should have been more signs thanking boards and their members. This is truly a job that always has people stuck between a rock and a hard place. The community has ideas and desires for their families, oftentimes what is decided could seem like a failure. However, I would like to focus on the district’s strengths and successes while working collaboratively to build on those successes in order to grow even more as a school community. Challenges of the past provide opportunities for the new board to learn and grow while honoring the strong tradition of excellence through teamwork. If I serve on the board, I will have to support the decisions made together, because the board is one. They are not seven individuals.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Once again I will refer to the realizations we have all had to face due to the pandemic. It has changed so much within our education system. There have been positives and negatives. One of the prime negatives is the toll this crisis has taken on our children’s emotional well-being. SEL (Social/Emotional Learning) is a very important topic that I am very happy to hear people talking about more and more throughout this past year. Understanding what pieces are missing in our kids due to quarantine, lack of physical engagement, and extracurricular activities is crucial in leading them back to normalcy. If a student were to be physically injured, school personnel or a parent would act immediately. Then there should be no difference if a student is emotionally hurting. We have to act in accordance with what is best for them to heal after all they have endured.

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

There have been multiple occasions in my career where I have been nominated for ABCDE (Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Everyday) award in my school district. I am very proud and humbled by the recognition. The award is given for an array of accomplishments in the areas of communication, compassion, respect, inspiration and achievement. In receiving this award, I always reflect on myself and my intentions. Everything I do daily for students, parents, my community and of course my own family I do with intent. When one’s intention is pure, then the end result is surrounded by goodness. I believe that my intentions for and with the board will mirror my intentions with those I listed above.

Why should voters trust you?

I have been a teacher for 25 years. I am fortunate to have had a journey in Orland Park that has shaped who i am today. I treat my students the way I want my children to be treated within their schools and districts. It is not within me to do otherwise.

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

Before I call myself a teacher, a business owner, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a neighbor….I call myself a mom. I truly believe that for me to be successful I have to have a personal tie and connection. I am connected to Tinley Park and the people of its community. As a mother, I want what is best for my children just like I want what is best for those of others. I always seek opportunities to do good deeds, and this is an obvious chance to do so.

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

Unless you’re experiencing it, you can only imagine what it’s like with 4 teenage daughters at home and the spending that comes along with them. I am fortunate enough to have an accountant for a husband and he keeps the money line where it needs to be...however, the truth is, I am the one that spends the least amount of money in our home. I am conservative in spending because one of the things I dislike the most in life is wasteful spending. I always tell my children that there is a huge difference between a want and a need. Monies for schools need to be spent on what is needed for best practices for our children.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

My parents instilled in me that everyone in the world has the right to be treated equally and with respect. Human decency shouldn’t have to be taught, it is programmed in us from birth. It should be allowed to flourish instead. Therefore, if people feel the need to peacefully demonstrate, then I absolutely support that.

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 in inclusivity while celebrating the strengths of our diverse community. We need to foster a school community built on respect, acceptance and diversity. I was honored to be at the board meeting last year when the holiday for Eid-Alfitr was put on the regular school calendar as an observed day off. I am so proud of our district for looking at the different cultures within our wonderful community. It was actually then that I decided to run as I wanted to give back to a community that has given me and my family so much.

What are your thoughts on the district’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic? Are you in favor of remote learning, in-person learning or a hybrid of the two? Do you support a mask mandate for students and school staff, or mandatory coronavirus testing for both students and staff?

I believe District 140, like all districts across this great nation, had a very hard decision to make in March of 2020. Administrators and board members alike had to come up with a plan living through a scenario no one had ever imagined. Therefore, their handling of it was the best that could do at the time with the limited information given. When I consider the progress of my students, I consider what I’ve given them first. I am in favor of in-person instruction for those that are comfortable with their return. However, I respect the decision of those that are not. A mask mandate for the current time in my opinion is a necessity. There are too many unknowns still about re-infection or success of the vaccine. Schools always teach safety first, so why would this even come to question? We definitely need to continue to mask up.

When the vaccine is available to them, do you support mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for students and staff?

I don’t believe anyone should be forced to have the vaccine. This should be a personal choice.

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

I hope to give back to our district for as long as I possibly can.

The best advice ever shared with me was ____________

My uncle Omar said to me many many years ago, Lucy.....don't worry. Half of what we worry about we have no control over, the other half will not happen anyway. This taught me to live a stress free life so that there's more time to smile. May uncle Omar rest in peace.