Michael Strick

[admin]

[twhl]

Here are Micheal's answers to the IPPC/LWV questions in the forum handbook:

Michael Strick

I live in the Fry & Scullen community. I have three children that attend Scullen and Neuqua.
a) Educational background and occupation

I attended NIU and graduated with a B.S. degree in Biology. I currently own a chain of businesses with one located in the district. I have been in business since 1994.
b) Involvement in the schools, district, or community.

I am a long time resident of district 204 with a cumulative 29 years in our elementary, middle, and high schools. Coaching over the years for students throughout the area has been very rewarding.

2. Why do you want to serve on the District 204 Board of Education?
¨DQuality of Life for All Students¡¬ is my motto. We need true change as the current board has alienated so many of the people that they represent. On the board I will bring strict EDUCATIONAL FOCUS, strict FISCAL RESPONSIBILTY with strict TRANSPARENCY, and RESPECTFUL COMMUNICATION.
Educational focus involves ensuring AYP for all students. Currently district 204 is well respected for advanced and special needs classes for students, and we need to continue to progress in these areas. Students in the middle of this bell curve need more attention. Curriculum needs attention, also. One example is that high schools currently have varying curriculum. Core classes have been compared, and the goal is to have common end of semester exams by 2012. More changes need to follow. I promote curriculum improvements for our schools.
Fiscal responsibility with transparency is overdue. The US government posts their spending on usaspending.gov due to a 2006 law. DuPage County has followed suit. With new leadership we could view the district's finances and truly be transparent. I want every taxpayer to be informed about the district¡¯s finances: $800 million debt, $272 million current operating fund¡­.We pay nearly 70% of our property taxes to the district.
Communication ¡­ In the past few years and as recently as Feb. 9th and the 23rd some board members and administrator have shown disrespect for the community. When a father of a student that was victimized by another student is not allowed to speak more than three minutes, there needs to be change. Communication skills of the current board and administrator need to be addressed. I will address this immediately, and I will return public comment back to the beginning of board meetings where it belongs.

3. What is your role as a school board member and what steps do you plan to take to perform that role effectively?
I feel a good board member will promote the ¨Quality of Life¡ of all students in the district. It all boils down to providing students with the ability to succeed once they leave high school. I support reform of NCLB, so that we are sure to teach the whole student and don't fall into ¨teaching to the test. Communicating with a variety of teachers, parents, and other staff will give me feedback to address concerns such as large class sizes.

4. What specific changes to district goals and/or policy will you advocate for and why? In addition to advocating for curriculum improvements, I advocate for immediate discussion regarding the effects of the economy on our operating budget. I believe that public input is necessary before asking the taxpayers for more money.

5. What steps will you take towards creating open dialogue and transparency with the community?
This district belongs to the people, and the people need a voice. People need to be heard. I believe in a district communication plan. Every relationship needs attention to be successful. I believe communication needs to be interchangeable between board members, parents, support staff, administration. All need input from all. It is imperative that administration seek teachers' input. It is imperative that all concerns are addressed and feedback is given. It is normal for one to be emotional when expressing concerns. Acknowledgement of one's concerns is what everyone wants. Defensiveness and gavel pounding can and should be replaced with respect and concern. A promise of support, answers, or follow-through shows respect. A communications plan needs to address that apologies are acceptable at any time. I support timely inservices addressing a communication plan to amend the dysfunctions of our district. The people of the district are the employers of the district. ¨Quality of Life for ALL Students¬ is my commitment to this Great District.

6. Elaborate your thoughts on the attendance boundaries for the 2009/2010 school year.
I would like to focus on the ¨DQUALITY of LIFE ¨D for the students of this district.

7. What impact does site-based management have on the board¡¯s ability to enforce effective district policy?
As long as policies are in place I feel site based management can be effective. Staff at each site is in tune to their extra needs and attend to this. However, oversight of this remains the responsibility of administration.

[doctorwho]

www.dailyherald.com/news/politics/elections/2009/race/candidates/?id=707&candidate=995

Unit D204 board member
Michael G. Strick Incumbent: No
Occupation: business owner in District 204
Age: 48
Address: Naperville, IL
CANDIDATE INFORMATION
Family
My wife and I have three children that we have raised in district 204. Two of our kids are in high school, and one is in middle school.
Education/degrees
BS degree in Biology NIU


Candidate's Key Issues
Key Issue 1 ""Quality of Life for ALL Students"" is my motto.
Strict EDUCATIONAL FOCUS for our kids entails curriculum improvement and addressing teachers' concerns. (See questions from editor.)
Key Issue 2 Strict FINANCIAL FOCUS is crucial in this economy. We face decreased tax revenue as the consumer price index is flat, and the state is at least $5.5 million in arrears to district 204 (Dec payment was for Sept). The state pays $42.7 million per year to 204, and we can't rely. Our $272million budget is highly impacted!
Key Issue 3 Respectful communication and transparency are what the Great people of 204 deserve. The district belongs to the PEOPLE. I support timely staff meetings addressing communication skills starting with the newly formed board and the administration to amend the communication dysfunction that has been prevalent over the past few years. Also, I support transparency by posting the district's spending. The US government has been posting spending. Our district should have been posting the check registrar for years.

Questions & Answers
Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted.

1. What is the most important issue facing Indian Prairie Unit District 204 and how specifically would you address it as a member of the school board?
The most crucial concern is the survival of district 204 in this economy. The economy has tanked, and costs continue to increase. We need to scrutinize our finances NOW and inform the public of this crisis. I support obtaining public input regarding the operating budget crisis that we face.
2. The district is negotiating a new teachers contract this year. Do you believe teachers should continue to get raises in this economy? If so, what percentage do you think is fair (counting step increases)?
I believe in fair compensation for our teachers. I believe in recruiting and retaining excellent teachers. Yet, I know that a true look at our declining financial projections need to be addressed by the new board. Then positive communication can follow with our valued teachers.
3. The economic downturn will put a strain on District 204's budget. What specific ideas do you have for increasing revenue or cutting spending?
I support a district-wide committee to seek input and recommendations regarding the major options we have regarding our budget deficit. We must address operating costs for the new high school. Passing a referendum for more millions of dollars will put a strain on taxpayers in this recession. There are other options.
4. How can the district improve its curriculum to ensure students are prepared for college and/or the workforce?
One main concern to address is the amount of materials covered per class in each of the high schools. Comparisons of core classes have shown that equal amounts of material are not covered in some core classes. Adjustments will not be completed until 2012 according to the district's goals. This needs to be expedited. Another concern regards transitioning 8th graders. PA 8th grade students are well prepared for HS honors classes. However, many 8th graders that have not had PA classes (advanced classes)are being recommended for HS honors classes without enough preparation, so focus needs to be on this area, also.
5. If you are an incumbent, outline your three major contributions to the school board. If you are a challenger, outline the three contributions you hope to make during your first term.
I will bring strict educational focus, strict financial focus and respectful communication. I will address our financial crisis immediately.
People want change.
People want improvements. I do, too.
Respectfully, Mike Strick