:quality(70):focal(284x483:294x493)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/4VEP7YJ7JVED5GVNISQT7ZHYEE.JPG)
Name:
Jennifer Shroba
What office are you seeking?
Valley View School District 365U Board Member
What is your political party?
I do not feel my party affiliation is important to the position to which I am running. I have no political agendas and I am running to be an objective member to serve the families, faculty and students of our district.
What is your current age?
56
Occupation and employer:
Self employed
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
None
City:
Village of Bolingbrook
Education:
Studied International Business for 4 years at Towson University
Community Involvement:
I was a Girl Scout leader for 15 years for 4 different troops and served as Service Unit Manager for the Greater Chicago Northwest Indiana region of Girl Scouts. I coached basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball in the Bolingbrook community as well as serving on the board of commissioners for the local Bolingbrook Panthers Sports Club. I have enjoyed being an active member of the St. Dominic Parish where I volunteered my time in both youth and adult ministries.
Marital status/Immediate family:
I am happily married to my husband Dave for over 25 years with 4 wonderful children, all of whom graduated from Bolingbrook High School. We also have 2 beautiful grandchildren.
Questions:
How can the district improve reading and English proficiency and state test scores?
By utilizing the data provided through the new Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publisher curriculum being used now, our faculty and administrators working in collaboration with each other can better understand where our students are in relationship to the standards set and determine the best path to achieve success.
What are the top three issues that the school district is facing right now?
Student Success and preparedness for the future
Using our resources wisely to achieve the above success
Mental health of our faculty, staff and students
Telling our story so our community realizes how great our district is
What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property?
Candidate did not respond.
What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours?
I believe students should be allowed to have cell phones at school for communication purposes before and after school hours. I do not believe they have a place in the classroom.
Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined?
I do not feel that cell phones are needed for educational purposes as students are provided with computers and necessary textbooks. There are policies in place for emergencies that do not make it necessary for students to have a cell phone on while in the classroom.
What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones?
The district currently has a policy in place (7.180) which I believe should be reviewed with parents yearly so they can partner with the district to help educate and guide their children/our students accordingly.
What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand?
These reports are currently available to our families and community through Board of Education’s Board docs. The reports have been updated and are available in color coded pie format to help make it easier to compare and understand.
How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes?
I would invite them to attend school board meetings regularly and submit concerns to the board to be addressed.
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 personally believe in banning books as I believe there is something to be learned from all literature. If there were a concern regarding a book or material being used, I would suggest the concern be brought to the Board with such reasoning.
How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels?
We are currently in line with State Standards. Utilizing demographic information, we could properly plan and prepare for influxes with student population assuring our faculty and staff have what they need for a successful classroom.
Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make?
I do believe the district is allocating enough resources. The district has hired a new Director of Human Resources with over 20 years of experience, and they have a well-developed plan to support our current staff, acquire new talent, promote from within. I believe we could also be strengthening our relationships within our own community.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I will provide my email address and respond to inquiries in a timely manner. I will also be present in the communities of both Bolingbrook and Romeoville at events and school functions as much as possible.