Signal Hill District 181 board member

Alicia Chillemi Slocomb

Belleville

Age: 41

Job:

Phone: 618-520-0814

Web:

Facebook:

Twitter:

Email: aliciaslocomb@yahoo.com

Education: Masters in Social Work Administration

Previous offices: Signal Hill Dist 181 School Board member (four years)

Qualifications: I am running to support the mission of the Signal Hill School District, which is to provide an environment which offers the best possible educational opportunity for children. My goals are to: 1. Listen to each issue presented with an open mind, and 2. Bring research, data, expert opinions and my personal experience together to formulate an informed position, in order to 3. Further the mission of the district. I have served as a Signal Hill School Board member for the past four years guided by these goals. During this time, I attended more than 45 hours of training provided by the IASB and St. Clair County ROE. I served on the committees for personnel (1 year), buildings & grounds (1 year), community relations (3 years), and policy (2 years) and the school improvement team (3 years). I know my four years of experience make me uniquely qualified among the candidates to meet the challenges presented to the district in the future. Additionally, my husband and I chose to have our child receive an excellent education at Signal Hill, and I will work to ensure this happens for all children in the Signal Hill community.

Top issues: I know Signal Hill is a great place to learn. It is a community school with small class sizes, and strong parental support. The dedicated faculty and staff work collaboratively to meet the individual needs of our students, not only academically, but socially, and emotionally as well - serving the whole child in the process. And Sighnal Hill is one of the few schools in the county with a strong basis in the Fine Arts - including the visual, musical, theatrical and gifted arts. At the same time, there is room for improvement. Signal Hill School District's top issues include: 1. Continuing to educate every student as effectively as possible by: a) Continuing to implement new data driven strategies for working with students not making the AYP goal; b) Continuing to provide Differentiated Instruction for students of all abilities; c) Monitoring particular challenges of our demographic and the state's changing standards. 2. Meeting the challenges of our increased mobility rate. 3. Consistently improving the curriculum. 4.Continuing fiscal responsibility, so that we remain one of the top fiscally rated districts in the State.

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Signal Hill District 181 board member

Barbara Ducey

Belleville

Age: 63

Job: Retired

Phone: 618-398-6435

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Email: baducey@gmail.com

Education: Graduate of St. Mary's College, South Bend, IN

Previous offices: None

Qualifications: I have more than 30 years of board and community service experience, and a reputation for bringing people together to get the job done. I have the commitment to do what is right for all children, even in the face of opposition. As a board member of Trailnet, I led a community-wide effort to raise $100,000 in pledges for the MetroBikeLink trail. I have been a board member of the IDNR Illinois Conservation Foundation since 1995, and I am the current chairman of the foundation's Scholarship and Grants committee. During my 22 years as president of the Signal Hill Neighborhood Association, a 500-family community, I have organized neighborhood events and resolved issues involving the community and its safety. Throughout my years of board service and community involvement, I have seen how a motivating vision, community partnerships, and strategic planning, can strengthen organizations and make things happen. I intend to bring this same mindset and energy to the school board.

Top issues: Thousands of dollars in new technology have been invested at Signal Hill School in the last two years. We have the highest paid superintendent of any downstate district with the same number of students and similar demographics, and last summer, the board extended the superintendent's contract for four more years. Yet our test scores continue to decline -- and for some groups, the scores are bleak. How do we make better use of our technology so it has a real impact on student learning? Why aren't administrators and teachers held accountable with performance-based contracts? Where is the educational leadership that will address our changing school population? How much longer do parents and taxpayers have to wait for the school board to implement proven educational policies that will help re-establish Signal Hill as one of the area's leading school districts? With all the resources available to our one-school, school district of 388 children - we should be doing better.

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Signal Hill District 181 board member

Erik Wenberg

Belleville

Age: 39

Job: Certified Public Accountant

Phone: 314-223-6265

Web:

Facebook: Vision-Campaign-2013-for-Signal-Hill-School

Twitter:

Email: adm_e@hotmail.com

Education: Masters of Science

Previous offices: None

Qualifications: In these times of financial and educational challenge, I think the school board needs courageous leaders unbeholden to the status quo and unafraid to make difficult, if not unpopular, decisions. Throughout my career, I have been recognized as a tough, no-nonsense leader who is fair and results-oriented. In addition to providing financial expertise to the board, I also pledge to foster a culture of accountability, openness and stewardship.

Top issues: Unless students are proficient in core subjects, nothing else (other than safety) matters. In some cases, 40 percent of our students are performing "Below Standards" or are categorized as in "Academic Warning." This has started Signal Hill upon a path of remediation. Unless laws or test results change, Signal Hill could lose control of its school by the end of the newly elected board's term. Given the resources and support available to Signal Hill School, this is patently unacceptable. Instead of acknowledging the daunting challenges and implementing common-sense solutions (like bringing instruction time in each subject up to statewide norms), the board and administration have been downplaying the magnitude of the issues. In addition, the board even rewarded the superintendent by doubling her contract term without performance metrics tied to test scores (at above average pay rates). We've been outstanding in the past. Let's reclaim our reputation for the future.

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Signal Hill District 181 board member

Fred W. Colliflower

Belleville

Age: 64

Job: Cosmetologist

Phone: 618-398-1143

Web:

Facebook: Vision-Campaign-2013-for-Signal-Hill-School

Twitter:

Email: None provided

Education: B.S. in History, graduating Summa Cum Laude

Previous offices:

Qualifications: As a business man in the salon industry for more than 40 years, I have developed a common sense approach in dealing with personnel and financial issues. I believe as a board member I could be an integral part of renewing and preserving our vision for Signal Hill School.

Top issues: One of the top concerns is the achievement gap in State Test Scores of all students versus the low-income students in our district. In reading there is a 22-point gap in the scores. We must develop more effective methods and programs in order to better educate ALL the children in our community.

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Signal Hill District 181 board member

Lee Ann Gemmingen

Belleville

Age: 44

Job: Teacher

Phone: 618-407-2018

Web:

Facebook:

Twitter:

Email: leeann.gemmingen@gmail.com

Education: B.S. in English/Secondary Education and an M.S.Ed. in Reading

Previous offices: I have held no previous political offices

Qualifications: As a veteran teacher of 22 years at West Junior High, I am qualified to be a school board member because I have a wealth of knowledge and passion about education. I understand the issues facing our schools and will work hard to empower the Signal Hill faculty and staff with the resources, materials, and professional development needed to maximize student learning. As a problem-solver and leader in Belleville Public School District 118, I am a strong advocate and champion of public education. Becoming a Signal Hill school board member will allow me to continue making a difference in the lives of students every day. Signal Hill has a rich tradition of academic excellence and innovation. By working with the community, students, faculty, and administration, Signal Hill students will continue to receive the world-class education they deserve.

Top issues: Schools are faced with many challenges, and Signal Hill School is no exception. Signal Hill's test scores have consistently shown that core instruction is strong. Through hard work and dedication, the Signal Hill faculty has narrowed the achievement gap despite an increase in student mobility and the rise of low-income students. By implementing the new Common Core State Standards and continuing to strengthen Response to Intervention programs in reading, math, and behavior, student growth can be maximized. Despite the fact that the state is behind in its state payments to most districts in St. Clair County, the Signal Hill Board of Education has kept the district financially solvent; in these difficult financial times, managing the district finances will continue to be a challenge. However, due to the careful planning of the current board of education, this challenge will be easier to manage. Despite the many challenges Signal Hill School faces, the Board of Education continues to show its commitment to its students, faculty, and community. I share that same commitment and dedication.