District 15 School Board Candidate: Jennifer Zold

Name Jennifer Zold

How long have you been a resident of District 15? 17 years. 

Biographical Information (optional) family, profession, background, etc.

I live with my husband Nick and our two children in Palatine. My son attends Fremd High School and my daughter goes to Sundling Jr. High. Both attended Stuart Paddock Elementary.  My professional experience includes 10 years as Director of Operations for a Chicago consulting firm. I currently do trust and property management part-time. I hold a B.S. in Applied Psychology, with Business emphasis, from Loyola University Chicago.

Why are you running for the District 15 board?

I have been attending District 15 Board meetings since 2005. As a parent, community member, and taxpayer, I understand how decision making at the Board level can impact our children, our community, and family finances. Since 2005, the District has experienced wide swings in fund balances. These fluctuations caused some contentious community issues. I am motivated to work within our means toward a more balanced budget that will benefit students, community, and staff.  With a solid foundation we can turn more time and attention to focus on quality education for our students

What is your opinion on the Early Start/Late Release issue? 

Parents would have benefited from clearer and more proactive communication about this issue. Based on their many petition signatures and the feedback at the Communication Forum, I hear that parents do not want children’s sleep or parent’s work schedules affected by a late start. They also favor Friday for an early release day.

Although the Administration states that early dismissal is “not optimal”, the rationale for their conflicting date and time options has not been well articulated. Without a clear argument demonstrating a need for a late start, I believe early release is in the best interest of the children.

What is your opinion on the possible outsourcing of bus services in District 15?

Currently, there are three options under consideration for bus services:  one a re-negotiated in-house contract (as the current one expires in June), two and three are bids from private bus companies.  Of primary importance in considering all options is safety.  The bid process itself in sharing and comparing factors influencing safety should be beneficial.  Hopefully, this will result in increased safety in the transportation of our students.  Other factors affecting an optimal contract regardless of source are scheduling flexibility and cost.  With regard to scheduling, consistency for students, particularly for the special needs students, should be a priority.  Utilizing the bidding process to seek creative efficiencies may also result in a cost savings. 

What, if any, improvements would you like to see in the way the board is run?

Having attended Board meetings for years and observing varying styles of interaction a few things come to mind. Respect among Board members is fundamental: all are public servants with valuable perspectives and equal votes. Openness and transparency are also crucial.  A Board that operates with little or no discussion on key issues alienates stakeholders.  I believe a Board Member's primary responsibility is to engage stakeholders, not alienate them.  I'd seek greater communication and collaboration among the Board and with the community.  An engaged, informed community is a healthy one.

Additional comments and/or information you deem important for District 15 voters to know about you.

My civic Involvement includes volunteering at Stuart Paddock School, Holy Family Church, and St. Nectarios Greek School.  I've attended and spoken at many District 15 meetings over 8 years.  In 2010 I took a lead role in creating awareness about the flawed $27 million bond plan, and coordinated efforts to gather 7,000 signatures to ensure the community's right to vote on it.  Then, I took a stand and campaigned against it.  I co-founded Citizens for Accountability in D15 to raise continued awareness and community involvement in District issues.  In 2011 I managed a campaign promoting fiscally responsible school board candidates.  My perspectives are many-faceted. I come from a family with many teachers. My children are District 15 students. I am a residential taxpayer, a business taxpayer, and a primary caregiver to an elderly resident who is a taxpayer on a fixed income. I am committed to bettering our children’s education for the good of the entire community.