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Name:
Stacey Sault
What office are you seeking?
Cary District 26 School Board Member
What is your political party?
N/A for this position
What is your current age?
41
Occupation and employer:
I work in a school
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
Current D26 School Board Vice President
City:
Campaign Website:
Candidate did not respond.
Education:
Bachelors in Kinesiology/Exercise Science
Community Involvement:
Girl Scout Co-Leader Basketball Assistant Coach Volunteer in our schools when possible
Marital status/Immediate family:
Married with 3 children
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
The district is working hard already to improve these scores. They have started with building new curriculum maps where each school is finally on the same page with what they teach. If you go to one school in 4th grade, then the other school in 4th grade is doing the same thing. They have implemented time 30 minutes for Reading and 30 minutes for math every single day so students can get small group instruction based on what they need. What they need, was based on their state test scores. It’s already helped my own kids immensely.
If you have children, do they or did they attend public school and was that for all of their K-12 school years?
Yes, I strongly believe in order to be a school board member you should have kids in public school.
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 is in charge of what is in the library and curriculum and it should be that way. Everyone deserves to have input, express their opinions, and be heard, but the people who have the degrees, certifications, experience should make the call on what is available. I do not believe it is the school boards job to micromanage the decisions made by the administration and staff as they are the ones with the expertise.
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?
As a parent of three children in our district no, I do not think our taxes are too high because I know that they are getting a great education. The cost per student in our district is lower than many others around us and when you look at it that way then for three children we are not paying much at all. Do I think we need to raise them? No. I am also a tax payer, so I don’t support raising taxes. I believe I did a great job of protecting the interest of tax payers when the Maplewood property deal went through. I helped save the school district several million dollars on their new transportation center. If you listen to any school board meeting you’d learn this particular group of school board members, we tend to constantly ask how to save money and how to give money back to 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?
Luckily our assistant superintendent of Finance has been planning for this for awhile. The COVID relief money was supposed to be for one time purchases, not salaries, so when it stopped coming in you weren’t left paying for more things with no more money coming in. I believe he’s done an amazing job at knowing what the future budget is without this money anymore. Because the funds were used in the way intended, I do not believe the district has to reformat their spending.
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?
This, to me, is a politically motivated question and like I’ve said politics do not belong in schools. I believe the district will follow any changes that may happen to Title IX and I support their decisions.
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
The district released a letter a few weeks ago explaining where they stand, so I support the district.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
The district like many other districts in Illinois face the issue of raising reading and math scores on their state testing. Special Education in our district is also an immediate issue we face. The district can do better, should do better, and I know we are starting to take steps to help children and families more, but they have a long way to go .I believe funding is also going to be an issue based on what the current administration decides on how to fund schools, and if the department of Education should exist.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
Personally, I think this is a tough question. I 100% understand why a parent wants their child to have a cell phone these days in their school. School used to be a safe place you send your kid too, but violence can and does happen. But then, I work in a school, and I can see why a cell phone should not be with children in school. Cell phone use I think just needs to be regulated, leave it in the locker, don’t use it in class, lunch, etc.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
For an emergency yes. But I am not in favor of cell phones being used in school.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
The current administration takes this very seriously and I support them. As only a school board member I do not get updates or reports on student cell phones and what they are or are not doing on them. If a parent came to me and their child was a victim of cyberbullying and inappropriate behavior then I’d make sure they follow all the right channels to address it, building admin, then superintendent. If no one addressed it, which I feel confident they would, then move on to the local police if needed.
Should students be able to use AI in schoolwork?
I am not a fan of AI in schoolwork. I understand that this is a way the world is moving, with AI being more relevant, but I think it needs to be closely watched in schools if used.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
They already are online and easily accessible to anyone. Now easy to understand is a different point. I ran for school board four years ago to understand the finances of our school district and it took many meetings with our finance director and years of listening to feel like I finally have a good grasp on it. The current budget presentations are way easier to understand than five years ago, but it’s hard to understand without taking a lot of time asking questions. I encourage anyone with questions or who wants to dive deeper into district finances to reach out to our finance director and ask questions, not enough people do then are left speculating.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
Parents and community members are always welcome to email, come to board meetings, let their voices be heard. If a parent has a concern they need to voice it to the correct people instead of just posting on social media. This current school board is very transparent in what goes on around the district so parents, if they want, should participate in board meetings to be heard. Policy changes and curriculum approval are the boards job, so the board must listen to everyone but ultimately, I will make a decision that I feel is best for all of district.
What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions?
As far as I am concerned, this is another question based on the current political climate. I can see on social media or reading news book banning might be a movement, but I do not support it. Our school should include books for everyone, not just some.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
Every year we get a presentation on staffing and a break down of kids per classroom. There has been a consistent theme to keep class sizes small over the past 4 years I’ve been on the board, and that seems to be continuing moving forward. Staffing in many school districts is a problem, and one I don’t seeing going away anytime soon, but I believe the district is doing the best they can.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
If you asked me this four years ago I would say no. But now, I believe with our new superintendent yes. We just approved a program to help several paraprofessionals get degrees. We have new marketing tools aimed at getting teachers to want to work in our district. Hiring a superintendent who was not from around here I believe was a turning point for our staff. His outside input and experience from a different district, different state, has let him see where the support was lacking. He has spent the past year and a half addressing what the teachers need and listening which wasn’t always happening in the past.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I have always been very accessible to constituents. I have my school board email for one, but anyone who knows me knows I am ALL over town constantly. I am always at local community events and I volunteer anywhere I can. I am not hard to get ahold of.