Richard M. Perry: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: HampshireWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Central Community Unit D301Age: 64Family: Married with four adult childrenOccupation: Retired; former District 301 teacher and principalEducation: Bachelor of Science in Education (1970); two Masters Degrees: Educational Technology (1983) and Educational Administration (1988) All degrees were earned at Northern Illinois UniversityCivic involvement: Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District Trustee (current board president)301 Central Education Foundation (immediate past president)Elected offices held: Town Council, Cortland, Illinois (1973-75)Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library District Trustee (1998-Present; current board president)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No, neverCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Leadership and support for school personnel as the district moves into focusing on the new core standards is critical. The requirements for meeting and exceeding these standards place considerable demand on teachers and administrators; the school board needs to be knowledgeable and supportive in this academically demanding pursuit.Key Issue 2 The board will continue to play an active and informed role in maintaining fiscal responsibility. Declining revenues and tardy state funding require board members to stay integrally involved in budget issues.Key Issue 3 Board members serve as a link to the community. It#146;s imperative that good, open and forthright communication remain a high priority. The board has done an excellent job with their recurring community focus group meetings, and such accessibility provides for community concerns to be both heard and addressed.Questions Answers How satisfied are you that your district is preparing students for the next stage in their lives, whether it be from elementary into high school or high school into college or full-time employment? What changes, if any, do you think need to be made?Our community has consistently expressed their appreciation for the district's quality instruction and strong programming. Constant review and improvement are always important goals, but with the core standards recently adopted by Illinois (and most other states) focusing on academic preparedness for post-high school education and career readiness, these cycles for improvement take on an additional sense of urgency and importance. The inherent changes required by these standards will entail considerable work on everyone#146;s part, including board members.What budget issues will the district have to confront? What measures do you support to address them? If cuts are needed, be specific about programs and expenses that should be reduced or eliminated. Do you support any tax increases for local schools?Central, along with virtually every other tax-supported entity, has been impacted by untimely state payments. Our area has also experienced declining property values which translate to reduced local Equalized Assessed Valuations (EAVs); the district is consequently experiencing unprecedented financial limitations. Thus far budgets remain in the black due to accurate predictions in revenue forecasting coupled with responsive spending discipline. Enrollment growth has significantly slowed which has helped, but if cuts are necessary, my priorities focus on maintaining academic strength first with any necessary reductions to be as equitably distributed as possible. I do not believe that any one arena should be saved through the decimation of another. I do not support any tax increase proposal at this time.Is experience as a teacher or support from a union valuable because it suggests educational insights or detrimental because it creates pro-teacher bias? Please clarify whether you have such experience or would accept union support.I have nearly 40 years of involvement with District 301. I taught high school for 19 years, was an elementary principal for 17 and served as the district#146;s staff development coordinator during my last three years of employment. Since my retirement, I have also been very active as a founding board member of the 301 Central Education Foundation and continue to volunteer at the high school. Three of my four children attended Central Schools allowing me to experience our district from a parent's viewpoint. All of these experiences #8211; parent, teacher, principal and district administrator #8211; I believe provide for considerable insight into all aspects of our district#146;s operational needs. In the 1970s, I was active in the teachers#146; union and served as the local organization#146;s president. Later, as an administrator, I was occasionally seated across the table from the teachers#146; union. These myriad experiences provide for a uniquely balanced understanding of the various perspectives. I sincerely believed then, as I do now, that we all share a common vision of quality education and the promotion of high professional standards.As contract talks come up with various employee groups, what posture should the board take? Do you believe the district should ask for concessions, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?The current economic climate nationally and locally certainly support a conservative approach to any financial bargaining. Inasmuch as my wife and one of my daughters both teach in our district, I will certainly abstain from any active role in salary bargaining. I do strongly believe that, once the board reaches a consensus, I have a responsibility to fully support their collective decision, and I will most certainly do so publically and privately.If your district had a superintendent or other administrator nearing retirement, would you support a substantial increase in his or her pay to help boost pension benefits? Why or why not?As I am very familiar with the Teacher Retirement System and its limitations, I hope voters appreciate our district#146;s restraint in such salary inflation policies. I received no additional salary boost beyond earned raises during my last years with the district. This was in sharp contrast to other area districts where substantial, artificial increases were granted during administrators#146; final years of service. Although I cannot speak to former superintendents#146; contracts, our board believed principals received appropriate compensation throughout their years of service, and no additional #147;bump#148; at retirement was either warranted or fiscally responsible. The TRS has now placed necessary and appropriate restraints on increases, a limitation I wholeheartedly support.