Glen Ellyn District 41 candidates talk problem-based learning, consolidation at forum

GLEN ELLYN – The League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn hosted a forum Saturday at the Civic Center for candidates running for the Glen Ellyn School District 41 Board of Education.

There are seven candidates competing for three open seats. They are Kurt Buchholz, Stephanie Clark, Jeffrey Cooper, Kristin Massey, Erica Nelson, Kevin Rath and Lori Taylor.

Nelson is the only incumbent, as current President John Kenwood is running for village board and Cathryn Wilkinson is not seeking re-election.

Candidates spoke about their ability to impact the district, curriculum issues such as problem-based learning, and consolidation with Community Consolidated School District 89.

Kurt Buchholz

Buchholz, who has lived in Glen Ellyn his entire life, is running on a slate with Clark and Rath.

"Although we don't agree on everything, we agree on core principals," he said.

He has been going to Board of Education meetings for several years.

"I have long felt that the school district has been heading in the wrong direction in many cases," he said.

Buchholz said he believes problem-based learning, in which students research a real-world issue and present their solution to a panel of experts, should not be expanded to cover the entire curriculum. Instead, he said, students should participate in a maximum of one session per year.

He also said the district is not adequately surveying district residents without children in its schools.

Officials have talked about consolidation with District 89 in the past, but District 89 representatives have told District 41 they are not interested in consolidating.

When asked about a possible consolidation with District 89, Buchholz said it probably would not have the anticipated cost-savings and would be risky for children who would have to cross Roosevelt Road to get to school.

"I would not support it," he said.

Stephanie Clark

Clark, who is also running on the three-candidate slate, is a parent with four children who are either in or will be in district schools, and has been involved in parent-teacher associations at three schools.

"The next step for me was to take a more active role," she said.

Clark said she's been attending board meetings for years, and she's up to date on district business.

"I'm a critical thinker. I question things," she said.

Clark said she likes the idea of problem-based learning, but is wary of adding it to the entire curriculum because it would create extra work for teachers.

Clark also said she is concerned about potential consolidation with District 89, the redistricting that would take place during a combination and the potential for the process not to have the anticipated result.

"I'm not sure how much money we would save on administrative costs in combining," she said.

Jeffrey Cooper

Cooper has been going to board meetings several years, and although he has no children in the district, he wants to serve on the board to promote transparency with the community.

"I am running for the board to fill a need," he said.

His priorities are accountability and accessibility, and he said he will spend district money as though it were his own.

Cooper said problem-based learning sounds like a good idea, but he doesn't want the district to promote the issue so much core studies suffer.

"I just am concerned," he said. "It seems like we have this thing about wanting to recreate the wheel."

Cooper said 80 percent of district residents do not have children attending district schools, and they should have representation as well.

He said he thinks consolidation should at least be discussed by the district. He also said he's reached out to state representatives and senators who represent the district about the topic to see if there is a dialogue to be had.

"I think we should have a conversation," he said.

Kristin Massey

Massey is a former president of the district's Parent-Teacher Association Council and serves on the state Board of Directors for the Illinois PTA.

She said she has spent countless hours in the classroom and has worked to establish activities for students.

Massey said problem-based learning is a good experience for kids because it teaches more than memorizing the answers to questions, but there is room to grow.

"I think our teachers need a better understanding and need more training on these things before we move forward with this process," she said.

By serving on the state PTA board, she said she gained a broad understanding of education.

"I've seen education not just from our small community, but other communities as well," she said.

Massey said she is in favor of a conversation about consolidation with District 89, but admitted there are challenges – such as the possibility of students having to cross Roosevelt Road – that would need to be addressed.

Erica Nelson

Nelson, the lone incumbent seeking re-election, said her two terms on the board show she is committed to moving the district forward in a positive manner.

Nelson said she is in favor of problem-based learning.

"Problem-based learning really supports the curriculum," she said.

Having been with the board a while, Nelson has attended board events and been in district classrooms, and has a good idea of how the district operates. Her focus and dedication, she said, make her a benefit to district residents.

"I'm your eyes and ears," she said.

Nelson said she would not consider consolidation because the issue has been looked at before. She said five or six years ago the board reached out to District 89.

"They were not interested and have not been since," she said.

A study also indicated the board not move forward with consolidation, she said.

Kevin Rath

Rath said he became involved with the district several years ago with his work on its anti-bullying task force, and wants to "improve the efficiency of how the district is run."

Rath is also a member of the three-candidate slate, and has been attending board meetings for the past few years.

He said problem-based learning can be a good thing, but that he only wants it to be implemented once during the school year.

"I've never thought PBLs were a bad thing, but I was always concerned they take away a core part of the day for instruction," he said.

When it comes to consolidation, Rath said he is torn, and that a lot of people would have to come together to discuss it to move toward the right solution.

"It's not a black and white issue," he said. "It's something the community really needs to buy into."

Lori Taylor

Taylor, who is the Parent-Teacher Association Council president and has been heavily involved in PTA activities in the past, said she is running for the board to help Glen Ellyn grow.

"I thought this is where I could have the biggest impact … because I know strong schools means a strong community," she said.

Taylor said she hopes to see problem-based learning expand, because it brings aspects of classroom work, such as literacy and public speaking, to a real-world issue.

"If we want our children to be critical learners … this is what we need," she said.

Taylor said she wants to help people in the district without children because the schools can have an impact on the property value of their homes.

She said she would only consider consolidation as a last resort and would have to have several conversations about the topic before moving forward with it.

Taylor said her actions as a board member would be based solely on what is best for students.

"I will always advocate that every decision we make is based on the benefit for our children," she said.