Election 2013: Julie Jackson

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: Mike Jackson, husband. Children- Steven, Kris, Tanner
• Education: Ashworth University Early Childhood Education
• Occupation: n/a
• Political Party Affiliation: n/a

Candidate Questions

Why are you seeking office?

I have served 8 years on the District 146 School board and as we face the implementation of Common Core Standards, changes in ISATs and the resolution of the pension crisis, it is important to have strong, experienced board members in place.

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

I will continue to focus on providing our students with an outstanding education while looking for cost saving measures that do not directly impact student learning or growth.

What sets you apart from other candidates? 

I bring the unique perspective of being a lifelong Tinley Park resident, a former 146 student myself and years of continuous school and community involvement. Due to school boundary shifts in the 70's, I attended every school in the district. As a result, I formed a strong bond with the entire district, which only strengthened as my children attended Memorial and Central. I have a solid background of community service through Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. My volunteer experience ranges from 14 years of PTA/PACT involvement to 8 years on the school board. I have also served on many board committees and I am currently co-chairperson for the Curriculum/Communications Committee. I have been a band parent for 12 years and I have remained involved at Memorial as a Junior Great Books leader, going on my 9th year in that role. I think my extensive list of volunteering both in the school and board capacity shows that I have a strong background in roles as both a leader and a team player.

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

There is definitely room for improvement in the current testing schedule. While I believe that there is value to testing, as changes take place over the next few years, we need to take a step back to see what shape it takes and proceed from there.

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

Music and fine arts play a major role in my educational priority. All of my children are current/former band/choir students. One is an art major. One will be a music major in the future. My support and commitment to the district band program is strong. In a perfect world, music and art would be integrated into the curriculum. In addition to the importance of learning the fundamentals of music and art concepts, experiencing how fine arts plays such a significant role in our history and different cultures can enrich students' learning experience.

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

I think the premise of the wellness policy is a good one. It has the best interests of the children in mind. That being said, I think more emphasis could be placed on teaching moderation. In the real world, a person will indulge themselves and have the occasional sweet. We can show children that it is OK to have that small treat while keeping a healthy lifestyle as a top priority.

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.

3, 5, 2, 1, 4- We have a history of being fiscally responsible. We will continue to look for ways to cut unnecessary costs without having a direct impact on the classrooms or the taxpayers. We recently abated $1 million back to the taxpayers over the next 3 years as a sign of our commitment to keeping their taxes lower.

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

We have been working on aligning our curriculum with the Common Core Standards over the last few years and our students are already being exposed to them on a daily basis. Throughout our district, principals and teachers have been talking about CCS and schools have offered informational sessions to explain Common Core Standards to parents. Parents can visit our district website to learn more about CCS and how they can they help their children.

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?

Larry Canning, District 228 School Board.

Read about other D146 candidates running in the April election.