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Full Name: Amy Murillo
What office are you seeking? School Board Member
What is your political party? a board of education election is a non-partisan election, but democrat
What is your current age? 44
Occupation and Employer: Continuous Improvement Coach at Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity
What offices, if any, have you previously held? none
City: Oswego
Campaign Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089481301633
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching of English - University of Illinois - ChicagoMaster’s Degree in Educational Leadership - University of St. Francis
Doctorate Degree in Leadership in Teaching and Learning - Lewis University
Community involvement: Education Advisory Council Member for Congresswoman Lauren Underwood
Previous volunteer with PADS and Oswegoland Park District
Marital status/Immediate family: Marital status should not be consideration for a school board election; 4 children
Why are you running for office?
Public schools are important parts of every community, and right now they are experiencing a variety of struggles ranging from student mental health issues to financing issues. Oswego schools are no different. I’m running for the board because I believe my wealth of experience and expertise can help problem solve those issues. As a veteran educator with a doctorate degree in education, I bring experience ranging from curriculum design and classroom instruction to administration and operations. This race is important to me because I care about our community and am committed to ensuring that all students have the best educational experience possible.
What makes you qualified for the office you’re seeking?
My candidacy offers a wealth of experience in the field of education. I worked for more than 20 years in public schools as a classroom teacher, department chair, and administrator (including 12 years in Oswego). I currently work for an education non-profit that works to diversify the teacher pipeline. These experiences will serve me well as a board of education member.
Have you sought and/or received any training to run for your local school board? If so, from whom?
I haven’t received any training to run for school board. I have had support and reach out to those with experience running for office, but no training.
Would you propose any changes to the curriculum? If so, what?
Curriculum needs to evolve over time and respond to the needs of our students. I support curriculum changes that would enhance the dip we have seen in student outcomes and that would incorporate social-emotional learning and culturally-responsive practices. I also would support changes that modernizes our curriculum and prepares students for when they leave high school.
Are LGBTQ students treated fairly in your district?
It is important for LGBTQ+ students to feel safe, welcome, and seen in their community. While I want to believe this is the case in SD308, I’m sure there are instances where it is not. I want to create an environment in schools where these students feel safe to present their authentic selves and where LGBTQ+ students thrive. One way we can do this is to ensure curriculum is responsive to the lived experience of these students and has representations of the LGBTQ+ community.
What is your assessment of how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is handled in your school district?
Themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion are part of my core beliefs as a professional educator. I believe there is a broad commitment to DEI initiatives among leadership and staff. I understand that there has been training in these areas and some programming to support other DEI initiatives. I would like to see these initiatives expanded and in some cases move beyond surface level and beyond training. Some areas I would like to see improvement include the diversity of staff, inclusion of more diverse views and representations within the curriculum, and initiatives directly targeting academic and access gaps among different groups of students.
Do you believe the district needs to make any changes to improve DEI in your district?
I would like to see the district to continue to move forward with initiatives related to DEI. This would include continued training and professional development, but also increased attention to research-based strategies and programs that move these initiatives forward.
Are teachers in your district paid adequately now and in retirement?
We need to be more competitive when it comes to starting teacher salaries in our district. We need to take into account that there is a national teacher shortage and without a competitive wage even the most positive school environment will not be able to retain teachers. This needs our attention. Retirement benefits for teachers are handled mostly at the state level, but SD308 does support options to save for retirement outside of the state’s teacher retirement system.
Would you support changes to teacher pay scales? If so, how?
I support change to teacher compensation that would attract and retain teachers in our district. A quality sustainable teacher workforce is imperative for the success of our district.
What is your assessment of the district superintendent’s compensation?
I know that the current superintendent’s salary is lower than the majority of comparable districts. He has been dedicated to our district and has chosen to stay for many years, but we cannot count on this with a future superintendent.
Would you make any changes to how the district superintendent is compensated?
The superintendent position is the highest leadership position in the district and should be compensated as such. It is important to offer a competitive compensation package to ensure we attract the quality of leadership our students and community deserve.
Do you support the current superintendent? Please explain.
Most definitely. Support as he completes his tenure will be essential as we transition to new leadership. He has been with the district for many years and has institutional knowledge that will be important to pass on to the new superintendent.
Should schools in your district adopt and teach sex education according to the National Sex Education Standards? Please explain.
Yes, I support National Sex Education Standards. Understanding one’s body and sexual health is important for young people throughout their development. Furthermore, I am supportive of sex education that is responsive to the needs and lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ student population. I trust our educators to use sex education standards to build a quality curriculum for our students, and I also support parents who wish to opt their children out of this curriculum.
What is your assessment of how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled locally?
The pandemic was a difficult time for school leadership. I know because I was a school administrator during this time. I believe the district did the best they could with the information and guidance they had at the time. They tried to consider the needs and concerns of all stakeholders; which were very diverse. As we emerge from the pandemic, we need to focus on the lingering effects of this time period. Now is the time to look forward, not back.
What did you learn from the pandemic?
During the pandemic, I learned that we can do hard things and that schools can change and shift gears fairly quickly. While no where near ideal circumstances, the school community was able to come together and make pretty dramatic changes in short order. Also, as I watched students struggle with remote learning, it reinforced to me the importance of the social aspects of schools.
Are voters that support your district taxed at an appropriate level?
Our community schools are paid for with a majority real estate taxes. We have less of a business tax base, so the burden falls to our homeowners and that can be frustrating. That being said, we need these taxes to pay for high-quality schools and pay debts. Unless we are willing to sacrifice quality or find other sources of revenue, our district should remain the same.
Would you support any plans to raise taxes in the district? If so, what should the additional revenue be spent on?
Ultimately, I believe in funding our schools appropriately. I know that a tax increase is not palatable to the majority of our community and would like to see our schools fully funded at the state level. As additional revenue comes in, it needs to go to the pressure points in our current budget which revolve around staffing.
Would you support lowering taxes in the district? If so, what programs or services in the district would you cut?
The district is not in a financial position to be able to take in less revenue. Any moves to do this would be to the detriment of our programs, our staff, our kids, and our community.
Will you accept the voters’ decision in your race on Election Day?
Yes. No question.
What is your position on open, transparent government?
Transparency should be a priority for all governing bodies. In the case of the school board, transparency can continue to build trust within the community.
Do you support the Freedom of Information Act and citizens’ ability to freely access government records?
Yes, I think this is essential to ensure a trusting relationship between the public and school district.