CANDIDATE
QUESTIONNAIRE
CANDIDATE
QUESTIONNAIRE
Candidate: Karen Frazier Position Sought: School Board - Pekin School District 108
1. Why are you seeking this office?
I am seeking the office of School Board for the purpose of having a voice in the education process of this town. Not only in representing the children, but also the tax payers and the community as a whole.
2. What are your qualifications for this office?
I was appointed to fill this position in May 2006, and have gone through retreats, conferences, workshops and contract negotiations in training for this position. It has been a work in progress situation. I will continue to stay abreast of all situations that arise in the district.
3. Have you ever owned or managed a business? If yes, please explain.
I have never owned or managed a business but I am a manager in my position at Prairie Farms Dairy.
4. Do you have any experience with labor relations? If so, please explain.
The experience I have is limited to my job and appointing people to do tasks that are related to the quality of the product we put out. I recently was also on the negotiations team for the teacher contract of District 108 and spent weeks in those negotiations.
5. What role, if any, do you believe the school district should play in the attraction of new residents to Pekin?
The role the school districts should play is in attracting and keeping highly qualified educators for this community. If you don't educate and motivate the students to come and stay in school, then the community starts a downward slide that is not only detrimental to the children and families, but has a hard time attracting new growth to further enhance the community.
6. Given that one of the critical elements in business retention and attraction is the quality of the local educational system, what would you do to develop the relationship between the education and business communities?
One thing that could be done is job workshop or fair showing prospective educators what Pekin has to offer them. Also, doing an exhibition of what the schools are accomplishing, like Celebrate 108, offers a wonderful opportunity to showcase what the children and schools are doing and gives the community a chance to come out and see just what we have to offer.
7. What do you see as the role of the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations in local education?
I view the Chamber of Commerce as an asset to attract new educators to this area. In showing what Pekin has to offer prospective employees and their families, I think it can be a very helpful tool in finding and keeping people here. Pekin does have a lot to offer, but it's not always pushed to the front burner as an attracting incentive. We have a great community with significant assets; we just need to promote them more.
8. What are your thoughts on school district consolidation?
If consolidation would give our children more educational opportunities then are already out there and give the community a better tax rate, then I would see no reason not to consolidate. But as it stands, I see none of those benefits coming out of consolidation at this time. It would not increase our scores for ISAT or align our curriculum anymore then it already is since we are all following what the state dictates when a subject is taught (grade level).
9. What are your thoughts about James Field?
My feelings on James Field differ from a lot in this town. Since I am not a Pekinite, I have no emotional ties to James Field. But if we are to let the James Field Options Committee do their development of it, then I can see it could be put to use better than what it is now.
10. What are your thoughts about the school district's current finances? Are there opportunities to cut expenses? Specifically, where are those opportunities? Are there areas where spending needs to be increased? Specifically, where does spending need to increase and where would that money come from?
Our current school finances are is good shape because of all the prior years making hard financial decisions for the district. The prior board have had a rough road in deciding which things ( supplies, text books, programs) to cut or make a fee payable to enroll in it, to get us were we are. Right now we are doing much needed updates for the schools as warranted. Possibly in the future when we have all the updates done, it will be time to look at were we need to scale back. I think the area that needs to be increased is in the purchasing of text books and computers. I think the budget items could take care of that need.
11. What do see as the role of a school board member?
I see my role as a school board member that of a voice for the children of the community, taxpayers, and educators. You have to balance all parts in order to have an effective system.
12. If elected, what would be your top three priorities?
My priorities would be keeping and attracting top educators for our schools, continuing and updating the quality programs we have within the district and always keeping a eye on the finances of the district for the tax payers as to not overburden all in the community.
13. At the end of your term in office, how will you know if you've been successful?
I know I will have been successful in my job if I can see the progress that this community has made for the benefit and welfare of the children in this community and growth in opportunities that the education system has given to the children t without an undo burden on the people of the community.