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Name: Alena Hansen
What office are you seeking? I am a candidate for Crystal Lake District 47 School Board.
What is your political party? Non-partisan
What is your current age? 28
Occupation and employer: I have spent the majority of my career in education, mostly in grants, and am now an elected precinct committeeperson for Algonquin 14. I do a lot of volunteer work, including volunteering for PTA (Parent Teacher’s Association), the McHenry County Mental Health Board, and Girl Scouts.
What offices, if any, have you previously held? I was elected as a precinct committeeperson for Algonquin 14 and continue to serve my community in that role.
City: I am a lifelong resident of Crystal Lake.
Campaign Website: My campaign Facebook can be located here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565927018241
Education: I have a Bachelors Degree in English and am trained in federal and non-federal grants. I also hold several mental health related certifications, including Crisis Intervention and Prevention (CPI) and A Trauma-Informed Approach. I recently completed occupational Spanish.
Community Involvement: I volunteer for PTA, Girl Scouts, and the McHenry County Mental Health board. I also frequently provide free educational workshops to the community, having recently presented at the People in Need Forum (PIN).
Marital status/Immediate family: I live in Crystal Lake with my husband and our D47 student.
Questions:
What are your views of recent teacher union contract negotiations, both the process and the outcome?
You bring up one of the main reasons why I am running. I wish the negotiations and outcome had gone differently. I am in constant contact with D47′s extraordinary teachers and I believe in elevating their voices. They deserve competitive compensation. With my background in grants, I aim to improve the financial health of the district for the benefit of our students and teachers alike while also reducing the financial responsibility on taxpayers.
I am pro-union. I also oppose the use of sub-contracting for D47 staff positions in favor of working collaboratively and directly with staff.
Are you satisfied with how math is taught in the district?
Based on the feedback I’ve received from teachers, no. As a D47 alum and now a D47 parent, I think it’s important to listen to the people who are in our classrooms day in and day out to develop math curriculum. Teachers have also expressed wanting a longer pilot period for future changes to math curriculum and I support them in that. There could also be better transparency in how teacher feedback is collected and used.
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
The data shows that the more time students spend preparing for standardized testing, the higher their scores are. That being said, I am concerned about the downsides of leaning so heavily on standardized testing internally as a means of gaging student’s learning. When I worked at MCC, we utilized multiple alternatives to standardized testing in addition to standardized testing itself. It’s best to look at the whole picture.
To improve English proficiency and state test scores, I would look to meaningful feedback from our teachers and staff on how to improve English proficiency. Teachers have expressed to me they feel they are not being heard. English proficiency is a passion of mine. I’ve produced multi-award-winning publications. I see English proficiency as vital for effective communication. That’s a life skill all D47 students deserve.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
Yes, my child has always attended public school and is still actively a D47 student.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
I have seen first hand how D47 school libraries foster a love of reading in our students. If elected to the D47 board, I would support practices that keep students interested in reading.
If elected to the board, I would also feel responsible for ensuring information presented as fact is indeed factual. I appreciate that Indian Prairie effectively laid the groundwork for my own D47 student to evaluate when sources present information with a bias. I oppose book bans.
Most of local residents' property taxes go to their school districts. Are taxes paid to your school district too high? What would you do to protect the interests of taxpayers?
Yes, this is another key reason why I am running. D47 is trapped in a cycle of contributing to raised property taxes while also struggling to keep up with other districts in providing adequate compensation for our teachers. I have a successful history with grants that I hope to use to reduce the burden on taxpayers while also providing a quality education to the next generation.
Most of the COVID relief money from the federal government is coming to an end. What spending adjustments does your school district need to make to address that?
We can look for new grants as COVID relief money comes to an end.
Should Title IX cover sexual orientation or gender identity? What are your views on the use of locker rooms and bathrooms by transgender students and their participating in sports?
Yes, if we listen to the experiences of our students, it’s clear Title IX should protect sexual orientation and gender identity. LGBTQIA+ students deserve to fully participate in their education and extracurriculars alongside their peers. I want transgender students to feel safe and affirmed in our schools. I support transgender students using locker rooms and bathrooms aligned with their gender identity.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
It breaks my heart to see D47 students and their loved ones threatened with detention centers and deportation. In the interest of the well-being of our students, ICE agents should not be allowed to access school grounds. I want to continue D47′s efforts to support affected families.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
The three biggest issues facing the district would probably be understaffing (particularly in special education), funding, and rebuilding trust with teachers and the community. All three of these are woven together.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
I would not allow students to use cell phones during class, but allowing them to keep a cell phone on them is better for student safety.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Yes, allowing students to keep a cell phone on them would help in emergency situations. Also, if a teacher deems cell phones appropriate for a specific use during their class, then they should be allowed to use them for that purpose.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
Prevention is better than cure. Educating students on responsible use of cell phones and responsible use of social media can prevent the harm before it happens. Even if we ban cell phone use during school, students will still have access to cell phones outside of school and will need to know how to use them responsibly.
The consequences of inappropriate cell phone use have already led to student suicide in other school districts. I want D47 students to know there is a happy future waiting for them after cyber bullying has happened—for both the victims and perpetrators. D47 has the opportunity to redirect students who use cell phones and social media inappropriately. Part of my mental health training has been focused on holding accountable people who cause harm, helping perpetrators heal, and teaching them to do better in the future. A perpetrator’s healing and accountability is key to a victim healing. There are mental health resources D47 can partner with for these students.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
Yes, as part of career preparedness, students should be educated on how to use AI as a tool. One beneficial use of AI would be its use in developing treatments for life-threatening health conditions, for example. However, importantly, students should need to be educated on the limits of AI and the ethical concerns around AI. I am disheartened to see AI being trained to mimic the art of human artists as a means to avoid crediting and compensating human artists for their work. AI also reflects the biases of the people who develop it.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
Making district financial information publicly available and easy to understand requires it to have a user-friendly home online. I also want to give adequate time for taxpayers, teachers, parents and students to discuss D47 financial information with the board at public meetings.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
I would use several means of communication. I would look to data gathered in order to understand trends among teachers, students, parents, and taxpayers. I would also value anecdotal insights, meaning I speak to individual teachers, students, parents, and taxpayers on a regular basis and keep the lines of communication open. I have learned a lot. The importance of involving parents and community members in decisions is important to me as I understand elected officials are put in office to represent the needs of the public.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
I oppose book bans. Students deserve access to a variety of viewpoints and to be provided appropriate, factual context. As a D47 parent, I appreciate how D47 teachers highlight the importance of information literacy.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
Honestly, this is something I am still looking into. I’m having ongoing conversations with teachers, parents, students, and financial experts. With my background in grants, I see grants as one possible solution.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
Yes, I do think more resources could be allocated to hiring and supporting teachers. In regards to hiring, I believe D47 would benefit from working directly with the workforce to understand why we are facing shortages rather than bringing in a third party. D47 could also do more to center the experiences of teachers.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I respond to Facebook messages submitted to my campaign’s Facebook page. I just held a meet and greet where I received valuable insights from the D47 community. I attend other meetings open to the public when I can. Staying accessible to my constituents is a top priority.