Peggy James, District 86 Candidate

HINSDALE, IL — Peggy James is one of 10 candidates for four seats on the Hinsdale High School District 86 board. Here are her responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Name: Peggy James

Campaign contact email: peggymjames@gmail.com

Age (as of election day): 53

Town of residence: Hinsdale

Family: Married with four children - a 2020 Hinsdale Central grad now a college freshman, a senior and freshman at Central, and a 7th grader at HMS.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No.

Education: Michigan State University, BA Communications

Occupation: Senior Business Analyst at an insurance company with strong business acumen focusing on strategic execution and business process operations.

Campaign website: www.deliverd86.org

Previous or current elected or appointed office: None

The single most pressing issue facing the school board is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Educating D86 students. D86 is on pace to lose over 54 days worth of instruction time by year end due to COVID-driven compromises to instruction time. A plan for a safe, full-time, in-person instruction must be in place for the fall. In-person learning must be the norm, with the most optimal learning platform (live streaming - NOT Zoom in the room) for those who need to continue remote learning. We must use creative solutions to get our kids in the classrooms safely. Then the district must address the educational, social and emotional gaps created by our part-time instruction model for the 2020-21 school year.

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

As a resident of the district since 2004, and the parent of four former, current and future D86 students, My oldest graduated from Hinsdale Central last year and is now a college freshman, I have a current senior and freshman at Hinsdale Central, and a 7th grader who will be coming soon. I understand firsthand the need for coherence between the D86 curriculum and those of its feeder districts, and the domino effect that changes to D86’s curriculum has on feeders.

I will bring a fresh perspective that will encourage community engagement and transparency.

I graduated with a degree in Communications and have since focused on data analytics and process improvement throughout my career. I use data to drive decisions and success metrics.

Throughout my professional career, I have utilized my strong business acumen on strategic execution and business process operations. I work with data to define scope, plans and metrics throughout projects.

I will draw on my personal and professional experience to focus on student-centered, data-driven decisions that have served many generations and can continue to position D86 as a destination district for students and families in the western suburbs.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board failed the community or district?

I strongly disagreed with the Board's unanimous approval of Math curriculum changes. The approved changes had limited support among feeder districts and took place in October when the priority should have been addressing the challenges of COVID safely and without compromise to student education.

I don’t understand the Board’s urgency to take teachers out of the classroom to revamp the math curriculum without supporting data for future students – those currently in 7th grade and younger - when they were not effectively educating their current students.

Notably, two months later, Superintendent Prentiss stated during a board meeting that D86 needed all hands on deck to address "The sheer volume of D's and F's ... at both campuses."

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

PROVIDE STRONG LEADERSHIP: to hold the administration accountable to represent our community's goals and the District's vision as defined by the Board-approved Strategic Plan

SAFE 100% IN-PERSON REOPENING NOW: We are on pace to lose over 54 days worth of instruction time by year end due to COVID-driven compromises to instruction time. In person must be the norm, with the most optimal learning platform (live streaming - NOT Zoom in the room) for those who need to continue remote learning.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: I will stand in unwavering support of reversing the damaging changes approved for our nationally-ranked STEM program. Limiting options for our students is not the answer.

GOVERNANCE AND ENGAGEMENT: I will mandate communicating directly with the entire D86 community up front with full transparency prior to any board decisions being made.

DATA ANALYSIS: Commitment to data driven, student centered decision making to challenge and raise each student's academic experience and growth..

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

I would draw on my past experiences. As my children have grown, I have been engaged in analyzing the issues facing our school districts (first D181 and later D86), attending and participating in board meetings regularly over the years. My husband and I are raising 4 children, each with different interests, skills & talents. I have been active in the elementary school PTO executive board focusing on communications.

In my professional experience, I depend on data analytics for strategic thinking and problem solving, partnering with diverse resources to develop innovative solutions. With a background rooted in communications, I understand how important it is to have an open and ongoing 2-way dialogue with stakeholders.

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?

Yes. I support the right to free speech and the right to peacefully protest. I was moved by the community coming together for the demonstrations to make their voices heard. As a prospective D86 BOE member, I will champion diversity and inclusion at D86.

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?

The initial response to go fully remote in March 2020 was the correct one. As we’ve come to understand the virus more and the impacts in our community, I have grown frustrated with our response during the 2020-21 school year. While we took the lead in DuPage County by bringing students back to the buildings in October without any outbreaks, however there has no urgency to getting our students back to a full-time instruction model since. I believe a safe, full-time, in-person learning should be the norm, with remote learning as the exception.

I was also proud of the leadership demonstrated by D86 to vaccinate not only our teachers and staff, but members of our community as well.

I expected changes to our hybrid model to include more instructional minutes once teachers received their second dose. Several D86 feeder districts have been in school full time since the beginning of the school year, with more going back after spring break.

Do you believe there is equity between Central and South high schools? Why or why not?

The D86 Strategic Plan’s mission is: Empowering students to pursue their ideal future by acquiring critical skills and knowledge to collaborate, create and connect with an ever-changing world. I believe that the Strategic Plan has put in place the framework to position D86 to provide equitable options to students at both schools. After meeting with the both principals, it’s clear that the district is aligning the offerings to provide equitable options at each school.

What was your position on the $140 million referendum that voters passed in April 2019?

I supported the referendum. It was needed. D86 has not had a referendum since the 60’s. The improvements at both schools were long overdue to maintenance, improvements and bring up to current safety standards. Without passing the referendum, our buildings would have continued to deteriorate.

How should school board members handle emails from the public?

Emails should be acknowledged with an automated response immediately upon receipt. If a board member or Ms. Prentiss have any questions, I would expect them to reply individually for clarification, and comment

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

No.