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Name:
Katie Courtney
What office are you seeking?
School Board Member District 99 (CSD99)
What is your political party?
This is a bipartisan position
What is your current age?
50
Occupation and employer:
Middle School math teacher, La Grange District 105
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
This is my 1st office position that I am running for. I have been PTA president of Lester elementary and Herrick Middle school.
City:
Campaign Website:
togetherforlearning99.com/general-7
Education:
Bachelors in Elementary Education with a Middle Math endorsement, Western Michigan University
Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, National Louis University
Masters in Administration, Principal Leadership, Concordia University
Community Involvement:
PTA President - Lester Elementary and Herrick Middle School
Park District Soccer and Basketball coach
Travel Basketball Coach
Marital status/Immediate family:
Married to John Courtney and have 3 children: Maeve (19) University of Iowa, John Brendan (17) Senior, Downers Grove North, Mairead (15) Sophomore, Downers Grove North
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
The District 99 school board relies strongly on our highly qualified administrators, department chairs and teachers to identify areas of concern. The board’s position is to oversee that programming meets the needs of the students. As seen within the strategic plan programming should be equitable and supportive, as well as engaging for all students. With this in mind teachers should also be able to receive adequate training and support when new programming is introduced.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
The District 99 School Board relies on the policies already in place as outlined in the district handbook. These policies are in place to protect the rights and privacy of students while keeping parents involved and informed. Student safety is the highest priority.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
As school board members it is our role to listen and learn about the environment within both high schools and be there to support policy, educational services, and share information with the whole SCD99 community. With the strategic plans as the platform for the schools mission, vision, and core values.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
As a candidate for the school board it is not about my position on cell phone usage in school, it is however my responsibility to learn about D99’s cell phone policy. To understand what led to this new policy that was put into place and how we can best support the staff and students with keeping the policy current with changing rules and expectations in and out of 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?
Personal electronic devices are prohibited during instructional time. Presumably, instructional time ceases during emergencies. The handbook explicitly allows use of personal electronic devices for specific educational purposes as instructed by educators.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
As a candidate for the school board I would support and learn more about how CSD 99 focuses on ensuring the safe and sustainable opportunities for all students. There are already safety measures in place with both comprehensive training and emergency plans. As a board member it would be the responsibility of all members to review data and make sure that the tools in place are current and up to date.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
All Board meetings are open to the public and are available to stream. All meeting minutes are also available to the public. The District publishes a comprehensive financial report every summer which is available to the public.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
Board members are readily available via a district-issued email address. There is public comment time allocated at all board meetings. CSD 99 currently has parent-groups as a way for parents to participate in the school community.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
The Board of Education supports teachers, department chairs and administrators. As seen in past years, the District 99 Board of Education has emphasized the importance of diverse perspectives and the role of literature in fostering understanding and empathy among students.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
Class size is a decision for the building administrator that goes along with scheduling, population, number of available teachers per subject area. The position of the board is to look at budget, funding and availability that would help support the needs of both students and staff if overcrowding was a result that needs to be addressed.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
The board of education is in place to support the schools, staff, students, administration and the community which makes up CSD99. As it is becoming harder to find and keep highly qualified teachers, the board needs to be aware of the educational needs and trends that surround teachers. As a board member, it will be vital to understand what resources are available to teachers, and what communication looks and sounds like between the teachers, administrators and the board.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
Board members are all readily available via a district-issued email address. There is public comment time allocated at all board meetings. In addition to these lines of communication, I am also an active member of the CSD 99 community, and like to attend as many events as possible.