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Name: Leigh Comerford
What office are you seeking? Fox River Grove District 3 School Board Member
What is your political party? This is a nonpartisan role
What is your current age? 39
Occupation and employer: Stay at home mom (former teacher in Highland Park, IL)
What offices, if any, have you previously held? None
City: Fox River Grove, IL
Campaign Website: https://supportfrgschools.com/
Education: Bachelors degree in Elementary Education (minor in Spanish) from University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign; Master’s degree in Reading Instruction from Northeastern Illinois University; Gifted education endorsement
Community Involvement:
Marital status/Immediate family: My husband, Mike, is a high school teacher in Palatine, IL. We have two children. Lucy is in first grade and Will is in preschool.
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
There have been major shifts in best practice reading Instruction over the past 6 years or so. Districts should be making changes to adapt to these shifts in practice. Our district has done a nice job transitioning to teaching with a focus on the science of reading. We can continue to work to make the switch from balanced literacy instruction to structured literacy instruction. With my background as a reading specialist, I will bring a focus on improving our reading proficiency.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
I have two children in public school. One is in first grade and one is in preschool.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
Each school has a library media specialist who is the expert in choosing curricular materials for the library. The librarian will collaborate with the educators to make sure that the materials in the library supplement the curriculum. The reading curriculum will also come with materials that are tailored to help our students improve in Reading.
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 am aware our community in Fox River Grove is affected by high taxes considering the services available in our town. The school district will always be responsible in making sure we are utilizing taxpayers’ money in the most efficient and effective way possible. In our town, I think we need to urge our village trustees to bring in more businesses to ease the financial burden of our taxpayers.
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?
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?
We will follow the federal and state regulations in regards to Title IX. If we have a situation where we need to make a decision about bathrooms or locker rooms, we will collaborate with the community to ensure we are maintaining the safety, privacy, and inclusion of all students.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
Our schools must provide an education, including the same benefits and services, to all students. All student records are confidential and would never be shared without a parent’s consent. Our schools should also be a place where all children and their families feel safe. We would need to follow the Illinois State Board of Education’s guidance regarding ICE agents’ presence on school property. They have shared recommendations for how school boards and districts should respond and we should develop a clear and strict policy, consistent with the state’s guidance, that keeps all of our children safe.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
1. Improving student achievement and test scores 2. Holding administration accountable to our district’s goals and mission 3. Maintaining a positive environment that attracts and retains the highest quality educators
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
The research is clear that cell phones pose a major distraction to students during school hours. Our students’ education should be our top priority and we need to remove any barriers to their success. At the same time, our students’ safety is our priority as well. I understand that many parents enjoy the peace of mind of knowing they can connect with their children while they are at school. We would use all current research and information available to us to make decisions about the best way to handle cell phone use and availability in our schools.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
We would need to collaborate with the community to ensure we have a plan that helps every family feel safe.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
First of all, schools should have safe and appropriate content restrictions on all school issued devices. In the technological world of today, where many children have access to cell phones, I believe schools can have a role in educating children about safe online behavior, including how to navigate inappropriate content, bullying, and interactions with strangers online. There are many dangers to our children online, and schools can serve a role in helping our children learn how to be safe in the digital world.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
I do not believe students should be able to use AI in schoolwork. If we permit this, our students will not learn the critical thinking skills they need for the real world. School is a place where students should be learning to think with their own minds. This critical period of learning should not be hampered by something else doing their thinking for them. This would be doing a disservice to our children. We can help them learn how it works and prepare them to use AI in specific situations and in the future, but they should not use it to complete schoolwork during this time when their brains are growing and developing.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
Our district’s financial reports and budgets are, and will continue to be, presented to the public at regularly scheduled board meetings. We can do more to make these reports available to the public in other formats for those that are not able to attend these meetings. We will continue to brainstorm ways to make these reports easy to understand.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
Our district is in the process of making a strategic plan and asked the community for input. The board has been asking for parent input through more surveys and focus groups this year. We will continue to add more opportunities for input and for parents and community members to share and collaborate. I aim to be approachable as a board member serving the community. I will always be willing to hear ideas from community members and bring those ideas to the board. I will listen intently to those who comment at board meetings and follow through with their questions or ideas.
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 censorship. If a parent or community member had a request that a specific book be removed from our shelves, we would listen to their ideas and collaborate on a solution that keeps the best interest of all of our students in mind.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
Our district has class size ranges that we adhere to as we determine section numbers for each school year. We know it is important to keep class sizes within a range that determines the best student outcomes. Every decision we make is going to be done with the best interests of our students in mind. We will do everything in our power, with the budgets and funds available to us, to keep class sizes small while maintaining the programs and services that our students need to be well rounded and successful.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
There are changes that can be made to our teachers’ contract and pay scales to make their income more comparable to neighboring districts’ teachers. We must do this to be able to hire and retain the best quality educators for our students.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I am present at the school most days, and I will always be willing to listen if someone approaches me to discuss something important to them. I will make myself available and make sure people know how to contact me. I will maintain my dedication to being a nonpartisan school board member. To do this, I will listen to all ideas presented to me and look for patterns that reflect community-wide concerns, rather than be influenced by special interests. As a school board member, I will focus on finding ways for us to reach out to the community and engage people in conversation.