School board candidates share their goals for Geneva district
Four of the six candidates for three seats on the Geneva Unit District 304 ol board say they want to keep the district going in a positive direction.
Incumbents Larry Cabeen, Molly Ansari and Paul Radlinski and newcomer Brent Nakayama shared their ideas during a forum that the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County hosted on Thursday.
Ansari, who was appointed to the board last March, said she believes her background as an assistant professor at Bradley University's master's counseling program and as a licensed professional counselor in private practice is an asset.
"I have a master's degree in counseling and a Ph.D. in counselor education," Ansari said. "It's really important for me to be an advocate for mental health and safety. I want to make sure that our students - their mental health and their well-being and their safety - are always our top priority in every decision that we make."
Nakayama said he and his wife have lived in Geneva for 10 years and have three children at Williamsburg Elementary School. Since his children are young, Nakayama said his service could be impactful for many years.
"I bring a lot of experience in program design and management (and) long-term strategic planning," Nakayama said. "I've also been a champion of diversity inclusion and fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments."
Radlinski said he and his wife moved to Geneva 20 years ago because of the school district. Their three children were all educated in Geneva.
"I want to give back to the community that supported us when we moved here," Radlinski said. "Based on my experience of 35 years of running businesses and my life experiences of living all around the world ... I think I have a very broad and open mind. I understand what the future challenges are for the kids that we're working for."
Cabeen was elected to the school board four years ago.
"I look forward to ... bringing on a new superintendent," Cabeen said. "We are in the middle of negotiations with teachers for their contract. That would be a huge plus if we could settle that before the end of the year. ... I look forward to further projects, some realistic like enhancing the quality of education and hiring real good teachers."
The three incumbents said they were endorsed by the teachers union, the Geneva Education Association. Nakayama said he is active in the community as a youth baseball coach.
Cabeen said he believes a significant challenge facing students continues to be recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The different things that kids had to do adjust to the school as it changed dealing with separation, dealing with masks, dealing with all kinds of things like that," Cabeen said. "I feel like we are on a path now to correct those things and get back to normal. But the truth of the matter is, it takes longer than just the time we've been on the path."
For Nakayama, the biggest challenge he sees for students is with social media and what he called its unwanted influence.
"I would like to bring some of that continued control and just be very cognizant of that in all the policies that are set forth with ... how we keep a mindful eye on that and the impact it can have on our children," Nakayama said.
Radlinski said he believes one of the key challenges children face today is the impact of change - coming faster than it has in the past - with technology and society.
"I think it is the responsibility of the school to be preparing those children, so they are ready to take this change and to be able to adjust to it and handle it," Radlinski said.
League moderator Patty Lackman said all six school candidates were invited. Brittney Sopcak had to decline because of a work commitment, and Andrea Heeg did not respond.