Election 2013: John Carey

Campaign Info

• Position Sought: Community Consolidated School District 146 Board of Education
• Website: 4for146, 4 for 146 on Facebook, Twitter @4for146,
• Email:  Fourfor146@yahoo.com
• Phone:
• Hometown: Tinley Park

Personal Info

• Family: Kelly Gee - daughter, Mike Gee - son in law, Caitlyn - granddaughter, Chris - grandson, wife deceased
• Education: Lindbloom 1951.
• Occupation: Retired.
• Political Party Affiliation: 4 for the Future of 146

Candidate Questions

Why are you seeking office?

I have served eight years and I want to go for at least four more years to insure that what was started in the last eight years will continue to progress forward for the students of our district.

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected?

Trying to maintain a balanced budget while maintaining class size and a great curriculum.

What sets you apart from other candidates? 

I have 8 years of experience on this board alone. Prior to that, I had many years of volunteer work with the youth and young adults of the community.

What is your opinion on the current testing schedule our students are placed under? Do you believe these high-stakes test are educationally viable?

I do not like the current testing schedule. I feel if they would go with just the MAP test it would be much more effective, less time consuming in the classroom, and show a much better picture of how the students are progressing in their learning.

Where does music education and fine arts education fit in your educational priorities? What does an ideal fine arts curricula look like to you?

A fine arts curriculum fits very high in my priorities. It is essential to a more rounded exciting educational experience for our students.

What are your thoughts on the district's wellness policy? Would you change anything?

I think wellness is an important factor in school today. However, going to extremes does not benefit anybody! Under the current policy students have been heavily restricted and kept from enjoying the simple pleasures of being a child. It is absolutely ridiculous that our students cannot enjoy a holiday party at school with a little bit of candy or cookies. The current policy took that away from them! Now all they can have is a pencil or something like that? The holiday party, with the treat of some candy or a cookie, as far as I am concerned is the fun of elementary school!

Revenue from the state continues to dry up, while residents are also dealing with rising costs. Please rank the following in the order you feel the district should be focused on for meeting the district’s costs in light of these issues. 1) Staff Cuts 2) Contract Renegotiations 3) Operating Expense Cuts 4) Tax Increases 5) Other Funding Sources. Please also explain your reasoning.

1. Other funding, 2, Operating expense cuts, 3. Contract renegotiations, 4. Staff cuts, 5. Tax increase. The last two things I would want to do would be to cut staff or ask for a tax increase from the district. It is just too burdensome in this economy. I chose the other three in the order that I did because I feel if we all work together we can get through this crisis with minimal hardship on anybody in the district.

How can the school district best prepare students for the Common Core State Standards? How can the district also involve parents in the process?

The district needs to rely more on the MAP test, and regularly assess and meet with fellow staff to determine the best way to improve the education of the students. Unfortunately, parent participation has never been as strong as it should be. Teachers need to engage parents more through increased communication be it newsletters, emails or phone calls. Parent teacher conferences should be mandatory.

Have you ever been charged with a crime? Were you convicted? If yes, please say what the charge was, and what was the case's outcome as it stands.

No.

Are there any candidates in other races you would like to endorse here?

Denis Ryan, Julie Jackson, Vince Aiello.

Read about other D146 candidates running in the April election.