Kara Caforio, District 205 Board Candidate

ELMHURST, IL — Kara Caforio is one of six candidates for three seats on the Elmhurst School District 205 board. Here are her responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Kara Caforio

Age (as of election day)

47

Town/city of residence

Elmhurst

Family

I have lived in Elmhurst for 17 years along with my husband, Jonathan Caforio (York Class of 1990). Together, we have three children who span the educational spectrum with experiences in special education, REACH, sports and the arts. My son attended Madison, Field and Sandburg and is currently at York. My daughters attended Emerson and Churchville, with one currently at York (Class of 2021) and the other at Case Western Reserve University (York Class of 2019).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Bachelor of Science in Education/Math Concentration/Cum Laude/Elmhurst University

Occupation

Currently, I am the President of the Elmhurst CUSD 205 Board of Education/3 years

Campaign website

www.karacaforio205.org

Previous or current elected or appointed office

Elected Member of the Elmhurst CUSD 205 Board of Education/first term

The single most pressing issue facing our district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing our District is our 8,500 students. This past year, our students have had a significant disruption both in their education and social emotional development. The gaps and needs as a whole have yet to be measured. I am committed to ensuring the increased academic and emotional needs of our students are being both identified and addressed. It will take a dedicated, collaborative effort with parents & teachers in our school communities alongside the District's Administration and Board of Education to create an action plan that addresses the needs of our students effectively. Never has there been a greater need for creative and 'out of the box' planning and thinking then now, to meet the increased needs of our students as they heal and recover from the past year and I am up for the challenge.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My breadth and depth of experience and demonstrated dedication to the school community distinguishes me as a candidate.
I bring a history of leadership, classroom & business experience, and a demonstrated long term passion & involvement in our D205 schools to the position. I am currently in my third year as President of the District 205 Board of Education, completing my first term as an elected Board Member. Prior to this, I was co-chair of the District 205 Community Engagement process. In 2016 I was awarded the ‘Those Who Excel Award of Meritorious Service’ by the Illinois State Board of Education. I bring a strong foundation and understanding of our schools as the former Elmhurst PTA Council Vice President and President, serving on multiple School Improvement Committees including Outdoor Classroom Development and Safe Routes to School, being the former Emerson PTA Vice President and President and chairing a number of Emerson and Churchville PTA committees. With a degree in education and a concentration in mathematics from Elmhurst University, I began my career as a second and fifth grade teacher and subsequently became a management and technology consultant with Accenture. Separately, my children have attended Madison, Field, Emerson, Sandburg, Churchville and York (currently) which is almost half of our District’s 13 schools.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

While specific issues are important, my platform has always been grounded in the three areas of sensitive leadership, helping every student succeed and fiscal responsibility.
Advancing the legacy of great education in Elmhurst will not happen by accident. Together, we must consider the unique needs of our students, teachers and support staff, the pace of innovation within education and the challenges of public funding, all while providing the education we desire for our children.
Together, as a community of educators, parents, and taxpayers, we have moved the District forward to be a leader in education. As we begin to heal from 2020, our next step is to be truly exceptional and recognized nationally for the education we provide our students.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am currently in my first term on the Board of Education and have been the President for the past three years. During my time on the Board and under my leadership, there has been significant academic innovation achieved within District 205, including the creation of the York Business Incubator and Manufacturing Labs, the creation of maker spaces, implementation of Project Lead the Way, the addition of dual language Spanish immersion programming, All-day Kindergarten, updated curricula in science, social studies, language arts and math and improved instructional models.
A Thrive D205 Wellness Partnership was established to address rising stress & anxiety in our students, Professional Learning Communities were strengthened to improve teaching & learning, and an Equal Opportunity Schools initiative was recently introduced to address achievement gaps at the high school.
After extensive study we placed a $168 million Building Referendum on the ballot that was supported by the community and includes a new Lincoln School, a new Field School, a renovated and expanded Edison School, a new auditorium for Churchville Middle School, a renovated auditorium for York High School, innovative learning spaces across the District, safe and secure entrances, space for all-day kindergarten and athletic field improvements.
District 205 was recently recognized as the Overall Whole Child Award winner by the Illinois Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development as well as being placed on the Illinois State Board of Education's Financial Recognition List.
We have continued to maintain an excellent fiscal position with high credit ratings and the second lowest tax rates compared to neighboring districts.
The District's relationships with the City and Park District have strengthened. In particular, I worked to resolve the long standing flooding issues around York High School with underground storm water storage and a new athletic field to be completed summer of 2021 as well as secure a permanent home for our Transition Center to support students with disabilities post high school through an agreement with the Park District.
In a few short years, I am incredibly grateful to have lead this work and accomplished so much with my colleagues and the dedicated professionals in our buildings as we serve our students and community together.

Why should voters trust you?

Voters should trust me, because I have faithfully served our community as a volunteer for the past 17 years. The breadth and depth of my experiences coupled with a long list of accomplishments during my first term on the School Board exhibits my relentless dedication to our students and greater community. I believe my ability to bring people together in challenging situations has contributed greatly to how much we have been able to accomplish as a community in the past four years.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office a success?

It would be an honor to serve the community in this capacity again. I would consider my second term in office a success if our students are thriving in our buildings with increased opportunities to learn, the achievement gaps that exist are actively closing, we have healed from the traumas of 2020, our $168 million dollar facility improvement projects are completed on time & on budget and our sense of oneness as a community & pride in our schools is restored as we are a nationally recognized top ranked district.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

The Board of Education has a responsibility to ensure both a high quality education for every student and a return on investment for the taxpayers. With approximately 89% of the D205 budget coming from local taxpayers, the majority of whom do not have students in school, every fiscal decision at the Board table must to be made with the taxpayer in mind.
This year, while interest rates were low, the Board issued a significant portion of the 2018 facility referendum bonds lowering the anticipated tax increase from approximately $131 on a $500,00 home to $34. Additionally, the Board utilized its reserves to meet the unexpected needs of our students and staff due to Covid-19 as well as to abate the 2021 allowable tax increase under the tax cap in order to provide taxpayers a flat property tax bill during these uncertain times.
I believe it is an unwavering commitment to fiscal responsibility and wise management of the community's resources that best serves our community's schools both now and for years to come.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

There is no question, that every black life matters. After this summer's heartbreaking events, I am grateful for the courageous conversations that have begun taking place around our community in order to not just reflect on the events of 2020, but to learn from each other and actively work to make our community one that is known for both kindness and inclusivity.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

As a member of the current Board, I would say we have taken some intentional steps towards racial equality, but there is always room to grow. I would like to see us spend dedicated time listening to our students' and families' experiences in order to prioritize the educational opportunities, resources and spaces that can create change where it is most needed in our school community.

What are your thoughts on the district’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic? Are you in favor of remote learning, in-person learning or a hybrid of the two? Do you support a mask mandate for students and school staff, or mandatory coronavirus testing for both students and staff?

As a parent & community member, I know first hand that every decision throughout this pandemic has had an impact on the physical health, mental well-being & educational needs of not only our 10,000 students and staff, but their families as well. With data reporting, regulatory compliance and health guidance constantly changing and causing continued uncertainty as well as labor management challenges, decisions have been difficult at every turn.
I will always believe that in person instruction where there can be personal interaction between students and teachers in our schools is by far the best instructional model. Following the available science, data and health guidance, I voted under intense criticism this summer to open schools for both remote & in person/hybrid learning with safety measures in place. While the hybrid model serves as a 'step' towards full in person instruction as the situation allows, I am sensitive to the fact this is a particularly challenging model for both our students and teachers.
Yes, I continue to support a mask mandate for students and school staff and while we await vaccines, I support mandatory testing for students as a way of minimizing outbreaks, reducing mandatory quarantines and thus expanding experiences for our students.

When the vaccine is available to them, do you support mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for students and staff?

Understanding we all want to move forward, I would hope that no one would refuse the opportunity to be vaccinated. However, with the vaccine being so new and the obvious legal ramifications if made mandatory, I do not feel I have enough information to make an informed decision about whether or not the Covid-19 vaccine should be mandatory for students and staff. It is however, apparent that 'true normal' will not return until a significant portion of the population receives a vaccine. It is my hope that day is coming very soon.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

Not that I am aware of at this time.

The best advice ever shared with me was ____________

Seek first to understand.