2025 Election Questionnaire: Heather Tomlinson, Sycamore School District 427 Board of Education

Name: Heather Tomlinson

What office are you seeking? School Board Official

What is your political party? Bi Partisan

What is your current age? 43

Occupation and employer: BSW Intern at Hope Haven

What offices, if any, have you previously held? Secretary of League of Women Voters DeKalb County

City: Sycamore

Campaign Website: NA

Education: Student of BSW at Aurora University

Community Involvement: Ellwood House

Rotary

Meals on Wheels

League of Women Voters

Marital status/Immediate family: Engaged with 3 children

Questions:

How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?

I believe that children learn in a holistic manner. They have to possess the desire to learn which is not achieved through testing. As someone who is great at what I do but is not good at all with tests, it’s not realistic to judge children by forcing them to sit at a desk for hours and take tests. We are learning more about human nature as we progress in humanity so I can support what we are doing currently and will work with the board to stay up to society standards.

DeKalb County public schools asked voters in November to support an up to 1% sales tax which officials said would have gone to help pay for needed things such as infrastructure work. The referendum was voted down. What ideas do you have to address aging buildings and infrastructure needs for your school district while not overburdening taxpayers?

In order to continue with the standards Sycamore maintains, it is imperative the community and School Boards work together to set realistic expectations financially for the betterment of our students.

Fiscal responsibility is an important part of elected roles, and a priority for voters. Do you believe the school district budget needs trimming? Why or why not? If you were to cut, where would you do it?

Since this would be my first time in this position, I am unfamiliar with the budget and will work with the community and School Board to maintain realistic expectations

Illinois, like many districts across the nation, is facing significant teacher shortages. What is your idea to recruit and retain educators, including special education, dual-language teachers, etc.

I feel that transparency and communication is important to maintain employees. Trusting the teachers to do their job in their own style builds relationships with the students and allows them to feel comfortable and successful.

Do you support Sycamore School District 427’s referendum, which will appear on the April ballot, to lift restrictions on where school board candidates can live so that anyone living in district boundaries can run for school board?

I am aware that seats are not filled due to zoning issues so I trust the community to make the best decision for a successful board.

If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?

Yes, all 3 of my children have attended Sycamore schools. Alex has been here his entire life, and I share custody with Mikey and Kiahs dads, so they have attended other school districts as well.

What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?

I believe the Liberian should work with the teachers to determine what books the children need. I feel that the School Board has a lot on their plate as far as seeing over decisions for the districts, books should be delegated to the people that are in charge of those departments.

Most of local residents' property taxes go to their school districts. Are taxes paid to your school district too high? What would you do to protect the interests of taxpayers?

I will work with residents in my district and listen to their concerns and work with the school board to make sure we are keeping costs at a reasonable standard.

Most of the COVID relief money from the federal government is coming to an end. What spending adjustments does your school district need to make to address that?

Due to not being on the school board prior, this is an issue I will work with them about.

Should Title IX cover sexual orientation or gender identity? What are your views on the use of locker rooms and bathrooms by transgender students and their participating in sports?

I will determine this by following State and Federal Laws

What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?

Considering the fact that ICE is supposed to be searching for criminals, there is no reason for them to be at schools.

What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?

I have been to several meetings and am learning the ins and out, I am still unfamiliar with the entirety of the school board but I am learning as I go

What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?

I don’t think kids should be using cell phones in class but as a mother, if anything were to happen I would want my children to call or text me and have access to do that.

Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?

Cell phones should be in a pocket or backpack at all times. Emergencies constitute as the unavailability to use the school phone

What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?

This is a serious concern compared to older generations that didn’t have cell phones because it continues after school and the bullying is exposed to more people. This is where parents really need to be involved because the schools reach only goes so far. If it happens on school property we should make sure we deal with the issue promptly.

Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?

We are moving into a world where this is unavoidable. It can be a benefit to allow students to learn more professional language, it is used in professional settings and if we are setting our students up for a realistic future; I can’t imagine why it would be such a bad thing.

What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?

This is something I am not yet familiar with so I will work with the board to make decisions best for everyone.

How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?

I encourage all community members to come to the meetings, if people aren’t involved, we don’t know what they want. The meetings are listed on the website and everyone is encouraged to attend.

What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?

I do not believe in banning books. I feel if the librarians are allowing explicit materials then the issue should absolutely be addressed about their conclusion for choosing the book. However in my experience with Sycamore School districts, this is not even an issue as of current.

How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?

This is something I will work with more experienced board members to learn.

Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?

To my knowledge, Sycamore has a thriving school district, as with any district there are challenges and we address those as they come. If I see immediate issues that need to be addressed, I will speak up and advocate for those issues.

How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?

I am accessible on Social media, and my address is public to receive mail. If contacted, I am also willing to give out my number.