Vicki S. Chung: 2021 candidate for Mount Prospect District 57 school board

Six candidates for four, four-year seats

Bio

City: Mount Prospect

Age: 49

Occupation: Senior estimator at Claim Supplement Pro

Civic involvement: District 57 school board (vice president 2019-present, member 2017-present); District 57 Education Foundation (secretary 2017-present); Lions Park PTO (committee chair 2017-present); Village of Mount Prospect's Community Engagement Committee (2019-present); CEC School Outreach Subcommittee (2020-present); League of Women Voters (Candidate Forum Team 2021-present)

Q&A

Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?

A: I've had the privilege of serving on the District 57 school board for the past four years. During this time, our board has navigated through some major issues, including the 2018 referendum and our recent superintendent search. However, I would say that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges that are unlike any that our school board has faced. Last week, we made the decision to offer two learning options to our families: Full remote or full in-person. The uncertainty caused by the pandemic, however, is far from over, and in many ways our community has been splintered and divided over the decisions made this year. I would love to remain on the school board to continue to provide direction into our critical fall back-to-school plans and ensure that our district moves forward safely toward that goal. In addition, I want to make sure that we (school board) take active steps to help repair the divide within our community. This year in particular has highlighted that greater communication and transparency are needed, and our school board must be thoughtful and proactive in bridging the divide and regaining the trust of our community.

Q: How would you grade the current school board on its response to the pandemic? Why?

A: As a current school board member, I've had the opportunity to speak to and hear from dozens of individuals in our community (including students, parents, teachers, staff and community members) about their needs, family situations and perspectives regarding the pandemic and school. One thing that has been heartbreakingly clear is that no single solution is best for everyone. Thus, I do understand that for some parents, the actions of the school board would result in a grade of "F," because we did not meet their child's (or family's) needs. On the other hand, I believe some parents would give the school board an "A," because we were able to meet their child/family's needs. To me, our true grade lies somewhere in the middle. We as school board members are charged with ensuring that our students receive the best possible education, while doing all we can to keep them safe and to mitigate the risks associated with the pandemic. Although we have tried to accomplish this, there is always more we can do. Particularly during this time, when the spectrum of our students' needs is so great, we must do more to listen to the voices of those we serve.

Q: How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state authorities?

A: As a current school board member, I am accountable to the D57 constituents that I serve, and it is important that I give voice to our community's interests and needs. One challenge during this pandemic is that different segments of our community have wanted different - and sometimes opposing - things. Ultimately, the school board must provide good governance, and at times this may mean making unpopular decisions. In everything faced by our district - and particularly the pandemic - my aim has been to adhere to the district's mission: "Preparing children to learn and succeed in a changing world." To me, the best place for our students is in the classroom, and my overarching goal has always been to have our students safely return to school (while also providing a strong remote option for those who cannot). However, medical and public health experts have differed in their recommendations about what returning to school "safely" entails, which has unfortunately led to a lack of clarity. In the end, all of us want our students to return to school in a manner that is safe, timely, and effective.

Q: Did your district continue to adequately serve students during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to continue providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.

A: In response to the unknowns of the pandemic, last fall our school board opted to begin the school year with remote learning for all students. Once we determine that we would provide a hybrid model as well, we needed to decide whether to continue to provide a dedicated remote teacher to our fully remote students or to change our approach and offer a concurrent livestream model to them. Although there are logistical benefits of offering a concurrent livestream model to remote students, we decided that the best educational experience for our remote students - particularly our younger students - would be to preserve our current remote model and continue to offer a dedicated remote teacher. On March 4, this topic was brought before our school board again as we discussed which models to offer in the spring. Once again, our strong preference was to continue providing a dedicated remote teacher to our full remote students. Although we do not know at this time the enrollment numbers of our remote vs in-person students for the spring, we want to provide continuity to our remote students and ensure that they receive the best possible education during this pandemic.

Q: Do you have a plan on how to safely and effectively conduct classes in the spring? What have you learned from the fall semester that you would change in the spring?

A: Last week, our school board voted to offer two models beginning on April 12: 1.) Full remote model with a dedicated remote teacher (which we have offered all year), and 2.) Full in-person model. At the current time, we are offering a full remote model and a hybrid model. With our hybrid model, we have a number of mitigation strategies in place, including mask usage, six-foot distancing, PPE usage, hand washing, cleaning/disinfection, etc. In the spring, we will continue these mitigation efforts, though we may not be able to guarantee a six-foot distance between students (it depends on our enrollment numbers). For the most part, however, we will be able to guarantee six-foot distancing for our teachers at the front of the classroom. In addition, we are looking at additional measures that will allow us to increase social distancing and/or reduce risk factors, including installing large tents at each school and possibly providing air purifiers for each classroom.

Q: What is your position on allowing high school sports to continue during the pandemic? Be specific.

A: I support allowing high school sports to continue during the pandemic, provided that appropriate mitigation strategies are in place (such as limiting crowd sizes, etc.). Particularly during the pandemic, participation in sports provides students of all ages with an important way to connect with peers, exercise, develop social skills, and to foster teamwork and leadership skills.