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Name:
Mike Mueller
What office are you seeking?
D47 School Board
What is your political party?
Non Partisan
What is your current age?
50
Occupation and employer:
Mechanical Engineer & President of Barrington Automation
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
Board Member & Treasurer of home owner association
City:
Campaign Website:
Mike Mueller for D47 Board of Education Facebook page
Education:
Crystal Lake South HS graduate; BS in Engineering Physics from Bradley University; MS in Mechanical Engineering from University of California, Berkeley
Community Involvement:
I have previously been a recreational soccer coach for the CLSF. I’ve volunteered at Gigi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center.
Marital status/Immediate family:
I’ve been married for 21 years to my wife Allison and have 3 daughters, ages 19, 16, and 11.
Questions:
What are your views of recent teacher union contract negotiations, both the process and the outcome?
First, I want to thank D47 teachers and staff for putting students first and starting this school year without a contract. I commend both CLETA members and D47 Board members who gave countless personal hours to represent both sides. The process seemed long and challenging. I did not agree with the board decision at the June board meeting to consider and vote on Dr. Hinz’ contract extension. It was poor judgement and timing by board leadership. I would have voted with the two board members who wanted to delay a decision on Dr Hinz’ contract until after the teachers’ contract negotiations were resolved. I believe there is still work to be done in looking at the D47 budget as a whole to find areas of improvement so quality educators can be retained.
Are you satisfied with how math is taught in the district?
Recent math curriculum decisions have drawn criticism from both parents and teachers, mainly at the middle school level. Even courageous students have given public input to the school board and Dr Hinz on the weaknesses of the new curriculum. I reviewed the math curriculum presentation for the elementary program and liked the approach for our younger students. However, the middle school math curriculum seems lacking. I understand transitions to new curriculum will have challenges. However, the constructive feedback has brought to light an apparent disconnect in collaboration between our educators and administration. If elected to the board, I would like to foster more involvement and direction in curriculum decisions from the educators working directly with our students.
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
D47 can move towards improved literacy and assessment scores by prioritizing evidence-based reading instruction. Emphasizing phonics, teaching how to decode words, comprehension, and building vocabulary will help form a strong foundation which will lead to confidence and success in reading for students. D47 educators already enforce these elements as I saw this shift within the past few years to a more science-backed reading instruction with my youngest daughter. Another important aspect that D47 already embraces is reading intervention in early years. Identifying students who need more intense instruction is important. The handling of the COVID pandemic created a learning loss and, thus, has burdened teachers with more expectations on their already full work load. Again, as with math, I would like to foster more involvement in curriculum and instruction decisions from the educators working directly with students. Educators know best what works with their students. As a district, we need to listen to how teachers and staff feel best supported and work to make that happen.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
My two oldest daughters attended Husmann Elementary, Hannah Beardsley Middle School and Crystal Lake Central High School. Our oldest graduated from CLC last year and now attends University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Our 16-year-old is currently a sophomore at CLC. My youngest daughter attended Wehde Early Childhood for 3 years (now Glacier Ridge Pre-K), Husmann Elementary until the start of 2nd grade. We chose to homeschool for part of 2nd grade due to mishandling of her disability needs. She was then placed at Glacier Ridge Elementary in a self-contained program for part of 2nd to her current 5th grade. She will attend Bernotas Middle School next year.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
I agree with and support the current D47 board policy regarding instructional materials. Children should be exposed to a wide variety of age-appropriate subject matter to foster open-mindedness, academic and personal growth, and discussions. I also want to acknowledge the importance of parent involvement in what materials their children consume. I believe the school district has a responsibility to ensure that library materials and curricula reflect the values and expectations of the parents and the community. As a board member, I would welcome input on district materials and listen with an open mind.
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?
I believe taxpayers deserve accountability and transparency. While quality education is a top priority, we must ensure fiscal efficiency and effectiveness. Cathy Nelson, the Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations, does a great job helping to ensure the financial health of the district. With her help, I will work to understand spending at all levels of the district with a focus on a review of staffing and initiatives at the administration level. Community feedback indicates a need to audit spending throughout all levels. If areas of redundancy or inefficiencies are uncovered, I would ask for them to be addressed. Property taxes are a significant burden on families, and I am committed to balancing the needs of our schools with the responsibility we have to taxpayers. My goal is to ensure that we invest wisely so students and staff are fully supported while keeping taxes fair and sustainable.
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?
D47 smartly used COVID relief money primarily to add needed air conditioning to schools lacking it. Unfortunately, I understand that costs went up during the process and the COVID money did not stretch as far as needed to address all schools’ air conditioning needs. That being said, no spending adjustments will be needed due to how COVID funds were applied.
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?
As a parent to a child with a disability, I advocate for inclusion and acceptance of all people. I believe D47 has done a great job maintaining dignity and privacy while providing appropriate accommodations to transgender students in locker rooms and bathrooms. I hope this level of respect and caring continues. Title IX was created to ensure equal opportunities for women in athletics. Expanding its scope to include gender identity raises concerns about fairness, privacy, and the intent of the law. The truth is biological differences matter in sports, and we must protect the integrity of girls’ athletics to ensure they are not at a disadvantage. In my observations, D47 has prioritized making sure LGBTQ+ students have opportunities and equal access. Unfortunately, D47 has not upheld this policy related to students with disabilities. In my opinion, recent district efforts to address equity and inclusion for marginalized students have not included students with disabilities. As a board member, I will work towards making sure every student’s needs and rights are addressed.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
The most important role of our schools is to provide a safe and effective learning environment for every student. Students should be able to come to school without fear. Of course, schools should cooperate with law enforcement, including federal agencies, like ICE, when required by law. However, I believe that any law enforcement presence on school grounds should be handled in a way that does not disrupt students’ education or sense of security. I do not agree with any action that would create an atmosphere of fear. Schools should follow all legal obligations while ensuring that their primary focus remains on student well-being. I spoke with Dr. Hinz and she praised D47’s Director of Safety, Gary Snep. He has strong relationships with local law enforcement officers. I feel confident that the safety and security of every student are of top concern for our district.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
First, communication is a major area that needs improvement. The current uproar over staff reductions has shown that the district tends to be reactive to situations versus proactive. With any organization poor communication can lead to bad morale and poor results. Second, is collaboration. There seems to be a disconnect in the working relationship between the administration and educators. I addressed this in my curriculum answers. Curriculum and standards based grading decisions were seemingly made by administration and not with enough educator input. In the long term, the last issue facing the board is in selecting the next Superintendent. Dr. Hinz has indicated she will retire in 2028. Selecting a superintendent is the more important role any school board undertakes. Board members from the next two elections will determine who that successor will be. I take this responsibility very seriously and have made it the core issue of my campaign. Excellent leadership is necessary for our community and for our children.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
For good and bad, cell phones have created an environment of immediate connectedness, instant gratification and dependence. Children have access to them at younger ages, though their ability to manage utilization needs supervision. Therefore, I believe there should be set and enforced rules that strictly limits student cell phone use during school hours.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Elementary students in D47 are in grades Pre-K through 5th grade, so ages 3 to 11. Emergencies for students in this age group should be handled through notification to the front office and follow the proper channels. Elementary students have access to Chromebooks. Middle school students are issued their own Chromebooks to use at school and home. Educational needs that require electronic network access should be able to be accessed through the Chromebook, thus negating the need for a cell phone for educational purposes.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
D47 board policy states that bullying is prohibited. This includes cyberbullying. Board policy is also strong on proper use of district’s electronic networks. Students face repercussions, including loss of privileges and disciplinary actions if these policies are violated. If a concern arose and was brought to the board, I would follow up to ensure school leaders are upholding these policies and appropriate discipline is enforced.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
I am more of a traditionalist when it comes to schooling. In these fundamental years of brain growth and learning, I believe it’s important for children to develop and to hone their critical thinking skills. Learning to research, find facts, form an opinion is not something that should be handed over to technology. That being said, with AI seeming to be everywhere, students should learn about it as part of a structured lesson plan. A powerful tool like AI needs supervision by the teachers and the child’s parents.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
D47 currently provides access to financials such as reports, budgets, audits, etc on the D47 website. They are easily available to the public. Understanding some of these documents takes a bit more effort as they are complex. As a board member, I will pursue ways to make these documents more understandable to the community.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
The district involved all parties with surveys and committees when new middle school boundaries were proposed. This kind of collaboration resulted in a positive outcome. When it comes to curriculum decisions, I do not think the district uses the same model of collaboration or outside input to make those decisions. I would push for more collaboration between the district, educators, and parents when major curriculum decisions are needed.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
I do not believe in banning books but in ensuring that school libraries and classrooms provide age-appropriate materials that align with the values and expectations of parents and the community. As stated previously, I agree with the current board policy regarding instructional materials.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
New boundaries for elementary schools are going to be worked on soon. This will alleviate some disparities in class size between schools.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
Recruitment and retention of educators is key to the success of any school district. The recent teacher contract makes D47 more competitive financially with surrounding districts. This will help attract and retain quality educators. Retaining our educators also depends on a positive and productive work environment. Staff need to feel heard, valued and respected. Improved collaboration will help achieve this.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
Current Board policy dictates how and in what manner board members are able to communicate with stakeholders. Communications tends to be limited and controlled, which can lead to frustration from those seeking board help. I intend to review this policy to ensure that all board members are accessible by those who elected them.