Gina Willard, Woodstock School District 200 School Board election questionnaire

Full Name: Gina Willard

What office are you seeking? School Board District 200

What is your political party? Republican

What is your current age? 43

Occupation and Employer: Human Resource Manager / Safety Director at BAG MAKERS, Inc.

What offices, if any, have you previously held? None

City: Woodstock

Education: Bachelor of Science at NIU

PHR

SHRM-CP

Community involvement: Stateline SHRM

Rockford SHRM

Marital status/Immediate family: Married with 3 boys

Why are you running for office?

I can help the district continue to grow, to be one of the top districts in the state. With my background in Human Resource, I would like to help transportation find solutions for the staffing shortages. It is to often lately that we receive calls from the district about transportation being delays. We need to support our students and teachers with what is needed to help them succeed. I feel there are many kids behind academically and are just being pushed to the next grade without the proper support.

What makes you qualified for the office you’re seeking?

I am a parent and a professional. I have been in my current position for 25 years. Human Resource is the department within a business responsible for managing its employees. Human Resource is responsible for hiring, firing, and managing employee benefits, payroll, along with staffing needs. We are the voice between the employees and executives/owners. Also with Safety experience I am responsible for developing, implementing, and managing health and safety procedures in the workplace.

Have you sought and/or received any training to run for your local school board? If so, from whom?

What does campaign training have to do with qualification for school board?

Would you propose any changes to the curriculum? If so, what?

Are LGBTQ students treated fairly in your district?

yes

What is your assessment of how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is handled in your school district?

I believe district provides equal opportunities for all students.

Do you believe the district needs to make any changes to improve DEI in your district?

Are teachers in your district paid adequately now and in retirement?

I would need more information to answer this question. I was able to locate salaries for the district but do not see the information on retirement benefit policy.

Would you support changes to teacher pay scales? If so, how?

Yes, to retain or attract the best teachers.

What is your assessment of the district superintendent’s compensation?

Mike Moan has been with the district for almost 9 years, I believe his salary is fair. I am not sure what is included in in his total compensation package, would like to review before answering.

Would you make any changes to how the district superintendent is compensated?

Would like to review total compensation package before answering this.

Do you support the current superintendent? Please explain.

Yes, Mike Moan has done a great job.

Should schools in your district adopt and teach sex education according to the National Sex Education Standards? Please explain.

Regardless of the National Sex Education Standards, parents have a right to know what their children are being taught.

What is your assessment of how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled locally?

Now that the pandemic is coming to an end we need to work on improving our students academic scores and mental health.

What did you learn from the pandemic?

That teachers are under appreciated and I would not be able to home school my children.

Are voters that support your district taxed at an appropriate level?

District 200 receives over 60% of residential property taxes annually. The average in Illinois is 63% and for the entire United States is 40% of property taxes going to school districts. Hawaii does not take any property tax dollars from its residents. As a district we need to look at ways to reduce our property tax dependency.

Would you support any plans to raise taxes in the district? If so, what should the additional revenue be spent on?

No, we need to find new ways to fund the district without it continuing to impact the tax payers.

Would you support lowering taxes in the district? If so, what programs or services in the district would you cut?

I would support lowering the tax dependency for the district. My goal would be to accomplish this by increasing funding through other sources. I do not have enough information to make recommendations to change programs or services.

Will you accept the voters’ decision in your race on Election Day?

Yes, I stand be hind the district regardless if I am elected to be on the board.

What is your position on open, transparent government?

I believe we need to be transparent, accessible and accountable to the people that we are representing at any time, along will being open to new ideas.

Do you support the Freedom of Information Act and citizens’ ability to freely access government records?

Yes, I support having records available to the public by Freedom of Information Act.