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Four of the seven candidates running for positions on the Joliet Public Schools District 86 board of inspectors shared their thoughts via email on why they are running and what they hope to achieve.
The candidates expressed a wide range of issues including violence (Sandra Aguirre), keyboarding (Delia Jimenez), strategic planning (Jesse Smith) and literacy (Deborah Ziech).
Election Day is April 4.
Sandra Aguirre
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Aguirre, who is running for the board of school inspectors at-large seat, said District 86 “has so many serious issues,” she can’t choose only one. At the top is bullying and violence, perhaps due to overpopulation in the schools, she said.
Possible solutions include adding more security, building larger schools and splitting school attendance is two shifts, Aguirre said.
She feels District 86 should partner with the Joliet Park District to expanded after-school and summer programs to students. Partnerships with the Joliet Township government and the Will Grundy Medical clinic could provide parenting workshops and additional mental health services.
Aguirre said she wants to, “schedule more parenting meetings, counseling, helping them to get more involved in their kids’ education, motivate them to stay in school, get a higher education with a career and create minds of leadership.”
“I would like to see more success stories from District 86; kids graduating with honors, looking forward to the next level of education with confidence,” Aguirre said.
Delia Jimenez
Jimenez said she is running for the board of school inspectors East side seat to help narrow “the communication gap between Spanish-speaking parents and the administration, board, teachers and staff” of District 86.
She wants the district 5to explore partnerships between area colleges and universities, perhaps through after-school classes, to teach keyboarding to students to improve their performance.
“Our students are exposed to technology and are often expected to submit projects electronically, but many ‘peck’ at the keyboard,” Jimenez said. “Pecking not only slows down their work, but adds a level of frustration that can be alleviated by providing keyboarding instruction.”
Jesse Smith
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Jesse Smith, who was appointed to the board of School inspectors in 2022, according to District 86, views a seat on the board of school inspectors’ East side seat as part of his service to his country and his community.
Smith said he served four years of active duty in the Navy on aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and 14 years in the U.S. Naval Reserves, including one year deployments to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
He and his wife of 30 years have lived in the Ingalls Park subdivision for 27 years, he said. Their four children attended District 86 schools over the last 15 years and participated in numerous activities and programs and Smith currently has a grandchild in District 86 schools, he said.
On behalf of his place of employment, Smith donated office furniture and cubicles and held hat and glove drives for students and supply drives for teachers, he said.
Since his appointment to the school board in 2022, Smith has participated in one of several strategic planning action teams to improve “recruiting, professional development, continued support, retainment,” he said.
“I’m committed to utilizing my business acumen, acquired from my place of employment at Mars Inc. over the last 22 years, and my leadership developed through my Naval career to serve the people, employees, parents and students of Joliet Public Schools District 86,” Smith said.
Deborah Ziech
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Deborah Ziech was first elected to District 86′s board of inspectors in 2003, according to the District 86 website. Ziech attended District 86 schools, serves on the Joliet Reads committee and is a director on the Joliet Grade Schools Foundation for Educational Excellence, according to District 86.
Ziech was a recipient of a 2008 Illinois Chapter National School Relations Association Distinguished Service Award ,and the 2013 Joliet Reads Community Service Award, the website said.
She’s running for the running for the board of school inspectors at-large seat, because it is “imperative that school board members hold the district responsible not only for the academic success of our students, but also for financial transparency and the integrity of our resources,” she said.
But her number one issue is literacy, she said.
“A major key to success in life hinges on the ability to communicate well,” Ziech said. “This is crucial not only for our students, but for their families as well.
Ziech wants District 86 to provide adult literacy classes as it had in the past. She feels partnerships with Joliet Township High School District 204, Joliet Junior College, the University of St. Francis could make this possible.
“In addition, community members have approached us in the past about providing the opportunity for true bilingual education,” Ziech said. “I certainly think this effort is laudable and would really put Joliet on the map.”
The other three candidates are running for the board of school inspectors West side seats: Elvis Madison (who was appointed to the board in 2021, according to District 86), R. Emil Standfield and Jazmin Martinez.