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Name: Matt Eber
What office are you seeking? School District 101 School Board
What is your political party?
What is your current age? 53
Occupation and employer: Teacher, Assistant Athletic Director, & Coach
What offices, if any, have you previously held? Current Board Member District 101 School Board
City: Morris
Campaign Website:
Education: B.S. Business Education - Illinois State University
M.S. Educational Leadership - Aurora University
Community Involvement:
Marital status/Immediate family: Married (Wife) - Gianna & 3 Children (Delaney 26, Mackenzie 24, & Liam 17)
Questions:
Morris Community High School has a referendum for a new addition to the existing building on the ballot. What would you like to see done if that referendum falls through?
If the referendum falls through I think we need to do a deep dive into the results from the election. We need to further engage with the community to understand their concerns and the reasons behind the NO vote. We need to respect the opinion of the voters but seek the valuable feedback that can help guide the next steps of the board regarding the referendum and the future of the building. I believe the improvements to our facilities are essential for continuing to provide a high-quality education and enhance the offerings we can provide our students. Furthermore the improvements make the school safer for all stakeholders. Whether through alternative funding options, phased improvements, or community-led initiatives, I am committed to exploring all avenues to enhance our school.
Do you have an idea for a new mascot at Morris Community High School?
I supported the vote to retire our current mascot and have ideas about a new mascot that will represent the school in a positive and representative way. I think the decision ultimately must be made by the elected school board with the suggestions of all stakeholders. I believe we have made good progress in polling the community, student-body, and staff and that more needs to be done in order to decide on a suitable mascot for the school. Although a new mascot is needed as soon as possible I think we have larger issues facing the district and if we have to go a school year without a replacement that will be alright. The name Morris and the pride that comes from that name alone can carry us into 2025-2026 school year if a replacement mascot has not been determined.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
I support the school following all proper protocols for verifying that any ICE agents that may show up at our school have the required judicial warrants to be on our campus. I support having our attorneys review the documentation so they can advise our school official’s actions in regards to access to school grounds by ICE agents. Students should not be interviewed by ICE agents nor should student records be released to ICE agents without the proper judicial warrants and parental consent. I fully support our administration to act in a manner consistent with the law and as advised by the district’s legal counsel in all possible interactions with ICE agents.
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
Our scores are consistently above state averages and most have seen a rise over the years following COVID. There always is room for improvement and I think the continued collaborative efforts among our staff that our district currently supports have shown to aid in improving proficiency scores. I support the continued use of PLC (Professional Learning Community) amongst the staff to share data and instructional methods that benefit all students and support enhanced instructional methods employed by our teachers. I support an evaluation of the daily bell schedule to see if there is a way to carve out some common time to be used to for student academic interventions during the school day.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
In my opinion the top three issues facing the school now is the facilities, increasing proficiency of the students, and continuing to enhance the course offerings and opportunities for all our students. The facilities at Morris Community High School are in desperate need of improvements. The staff and administration has done a great job teaching and programming courses and facility usage in an aging building made up of multiple unconnected buildings over the years. However, the current facility is in need of upgrades that will improve safety, enhance the ability of our teachers to instruct and collaborate, improve efficiency of space utilization, and allow us to offer additional opportunities to students. The enhancements of the building will also allow us to save in energy efficiencies, maintenance, and repair costs that are inherent when fighting the battle to keep up an outdated building. Getting all the students under one roof and eliminating the numerous amount of out buildings will enhance safety. In addition, we will have a single entrance to the building and the improvements will allow us to house all our students for lunch eliminating the need for open lunch and reducing the movement during the day of our students out of the building. As stated earlier I always will support actions that will increase student proficiency in state testing and I always see that as an issue in any school. Finally, we need to establish programs and course offerings that allow all students to find a path that is best for them and their futures. We need to be dedicated to continuing to offer courses that support those interested in a college preparatory curriculum while also offering quality Career and Technical Education curriculum opportunities for our students. We need to support those wanting to pursue a college education, those seeking to enter the trades or highly specialized areas such are technology and nursing, and prepare those who also desire to enter the world of work directly after completing high school.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
As an educator myself I see the distraction that phones are in the classroom and the obstacle they can become for the student and their focus. I am supportive of allowing students to have phones at school but would welcome a conversation about policy that would assist in making them less of a distraction within the classroom during the school day. I know how connected students are to the devices and I feel they are definitely a distraction and I have seen first hand how the removal of that distraction can help with achievement within the classroom.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
I do feel that cell phones have some benefits in emergency situations and I support discussions that focus on usage during emergencies. As an educator I have incorporated the use of cell phones within the classroom for educational purposes which allow students to take advantage of apps that enhance collaboration, creativity, and retention of material. A common policy set forth by the administration and approved by the school board would define the exceptions and the approved usage while also creating policy and plans to educate the staff and students on the district policy.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
I would support the administration to develop programs that educate and inform students about cyberbullying. As stated earlier I support the diminished access of cell phones during the school day and that would serve to decrease the access to inappropriate content access at school. The issue of cyber bullying goes beyond the walls of schools and school hours so education of students about cyberbullying and character education is vital to help curb all bullying and mistreatment of fellow students while in school and outside of school. Character Education and citizenship lessons and programming can also shape our students and help them become upstanding productive citizens past high school and into their futures.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
District financial reports, including budgets and expenditures are already open to public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and information as to how to do that is found on the Morris High School Website at https://www.morrishs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1182289&type=d&pREC_ID=1428358
### Additionally, any items in regards to financial reporting, budgets, revenue, and expenditures that are discussed at board meetings are uploaded to the website and can be accessed via the board minutes and I feel our district officials do a great job getting those uploaded to the site in a timely manner. All this information can be found on the school board page of the Morris Community High School site, https://www.morrishs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1182289&type=d&pREC_ID=1428349
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
As a board member I support and encourage all members of the community to come to board meetings and speak in public forum time to bring up any ideas that they may have in regard to curriculum and policy change. These items could then be added to the agenda for future meetings to discuss in open meeting or assigned to committee to be discussed and ideas then can be presented to the administration and to the board that can then be put into practice and voted on as policy to help shape the direction of the school district. I will always support the collaboration with parents and the community in the conversation that makes District 101 a stronger and better school district.
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 support the banning of books in our school library or classrooms. I believe that access to a diverse range of literature is essential for fostering critical thinking, empathy, and a well-rounded education. I also recognize and respect the rights of our parents to individually regulate what books their children have access to and read. Parents have the right to decide which books their students do not read or have access to, ensuring that their family values and beliefs are upheld. I support a collaborative approach that involves both parental input and administrative decision making. It is important that the school administrators have the authority to approve or remove books from the curriculum based on established guidelines that consider educational value, age appropriateness, and the potential for undue controversy. This approach allows for respectful conversations around sensitive topics while preserving the educational mission and ideals of our school district. I support a system that upholds both the principles of intellectual freedom and the rights of parents, while allowing students to have access to rich and varied educational experience while respecting individual family values.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
I would allow our administrators to make decisions regarding class sizes and number of sections of a given course based on a class size that promotes best use of staffing levels and efficiency of instruction for all students in the class. I would support the administration if staffing levels need to be increased or overloads may need to be employed to ensure a class size that maximizes the effectiveness of instruction and student achievement. I would also be in favor of running class offerings at a smaller enrollment level if it allows students interested in the course content to acquire knowledge for a future vocation in
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
I do think we are allocating an appropriate level of resources towards hiring and supporting teachers currently, but would be in support of discussions into ways we can augment what we are currently doing to support teachers. I would be in support of allocating funds to allow teachers to attend additional conferences either in person or virtually that cover general best practices in instruction and specific content-area conferences that the administration feels would be beneficial to the teacher and the district.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I always welcome conversations with the constituents of Morris High School District 101. I encourage them to attend meetings and become informed about the ongoing activities of the district and to speak during public participation. I also welcome correspondence via email through my district email address meber@morrishs.org