:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/46X5CN4ATZGEBHA2BFNPHGNJEU.jpg)
Name:
Melinda Hartman
What office are you seeking?
D26 Board of Education
What is your political party?
N/A
What is your current age?
40
Occupation and employer:
Attorney; Vaclavek Hartman Vaclavek, P.C.
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
D26 Board of Education- I was appointed to fill an open seat on the board in May of 2019, and then I ran and was elected to fill an open seat in April of 2021.
City:
Campaign Website:
Candidate did not respond.
Education:
Bachelor’s of Science from UIUC
Juris Doctor from DePaul College of Law
Community Involvement:
Candidate did not respond.
Marital status/Immediate family:
I am married and have two children, ages 11 and 8.
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
The district has been working hard to align standards and expected testing material to the current curriculum in a way that is equitable to all of our students. The district is also looking very closely at the data we have for each of our students and using that data to provide more specific supports to the students in both the main classroom and in additional services offered in Tier 2 and Tier 3 support.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
My 8 year old has only attended public school. My 11 year old has attended public school with the exception of 1st grade; in 1st grade she was homeschooled due to the needs of our family in the COVID-19 pandemic.
What do you see as the school district’s role in deciding what materials should be available in the library and in curricula?
The school district must provide educational material to its students, including that which supplements the current curriculum and that which offers the students the ability to expand their knowledge and interests.
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?
The taxes paid to our district are necessary to ensure the district can function; unfortunately, they do feel high, but until there are other methods of funding available for schools in Illinois, this is the solution we have. As a board member thus far, I have voted to abate taxes to our taxpayers and reduce the burden the individual tax payer feels in multiple years of my service. Generally speaking, it is the job of each and every board member to be fiscally responsible and ensure the school district maintains a balanced budget and makes financial decisions which ensure the money the district does receive is spent responsibly.
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?
The district does not need to make adjustments with the loss of COVID relief money, because the district was very responsible with the COVID relief money spending. The district used COVID relief money, primarily, to invest in one-time expenditures that would not leave gaps in funding once the relief money was exhausted.
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?
All board members must follow the laws related to education, student services, and student privacy.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
I have already voted in favor of making D26 schools a Safe Zone and will continue to vote accordingly. As a board member, it is my expectation that the Superintendent will comply with all legal requests from federal agencies.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
The top three issues our district is facing are as follows:
Responsibly allocating referendum dollars to support and update the district’s infrastructure, making responsible repairs and safety upgrades to our buildings;
Providing equitable services to all students across the district, which is currently being addressed in multiple ways, including the implementation of curriculum road mapping; and
Evolving practices to meet the needs of modern students so that our children have every advantage going into high school and beyond.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
I am still learning about the sides of this debate, understanding that there have been propositions to disallow cell phones in school. While I understand cell phones can be a distraction, they can also be a tool for safety or to support students medical needs/services. If a law is passed concerning cell phones in school, then my job as a board member would be to ensure our district complies with the law. If no such law is passed, then it is a policy decision of the school which must be supported by data and research demonstrating what is best for our students.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
Candidate did not respond.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
This is a concern that I face not only as a sitting board member, but as a parent of children in schools, and professionally in my work as a Guardian Ad Litem. I think the district must ensure that all devices the district provides to the student would flag authorities for keywords related to cyberbullying and keyword flagging is something the district does provide at this time. When it comes to a child’s personal device not supplied by the school, this is something the district and families must work together to address, as the district cannot be responsible for supervising a student’s behavior outside of school hours on devices the school does not provide. Currently, the district does provide education about cyberbullying and resources to students who wish to report cyberbullying, including anonymous reporting.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
Students must learn to use AI and become familiar with AI, because staying current in technological developments is a necessity to the modern students. However, students should not be able to simply use AI in place of completing work themselves.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
My plan would be to continue onward as the district already makes financial reports, budgets, and expenditures publicly available and easily understandable. I am proud to say that financial transparency and fiscal responsibility is something I feel I have already supported in my service to the D26 board and it is something I will continue to support if I am re-elected.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
The district already welcomes parental and community input on the curriculum and policy. Both items are frequently on the board’s agenda and are discussed at committee of the whole meetings and board meetings.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
Candidate did not respond.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
The district has a policy of trying to maintain small classroom sizes while being responsible with our budget. Each month we review enrollment and if class sizes are growing, we revisit our staffing plan and determine when it is time to add new sections to ensure we can provide smaller class sizes. We know smaller class sizes are linked to student success and it is something I support so long as our budget allows.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
I believe the district is properly allocating resources to hiring and supporting teachers. However, I think we can always grow and evolve in the ways we support teachers; the district often surveys its staff to determine what support they need or want. More importantly, the district administrators and board review the surveys and have regular discussions about new and different ways to provide supports to our teachers and staff while remaining in budget.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I will have a board email posted on the district’s website, as I do now, and I routinely read and respond to emails from constituents.