Edith Lutz - Incumbent
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Hello, I am Edith Lutz. I am married to my husband Tim and have lived in Frankfort for 24 years. We have two children, Tim and Kirsten, who went through FSD 157-C from Kindergarten through 8th grade, and into the Lincoln-way School District.
In 2015, I ran for FSD 157-C school board because I wanted to make sure they were bringing opportunities for all of the students to be successful not only in grammar school but in life. During my time on the board, I have become a Distinguished Board Leader/Master Board Member. This recognition is obtained by a board member's time and effort in learning leadership activities that are provided to members by the Illinois State Board of Education. I feel that a great board is one that represents the whole community. Not everyone in the community has children in FSD 157-C, but they should have representation on the board because of their tax dollar contribution. I feel that my time on the board has proven to show that we are fiscally responsible with our tax dollars and continue to provide a high quality education. |
Questions | Answers
According to the Illinois Association of School Boards, one crucial characteristic of a school board member is the ability to represent the entire community and not special interest or partisan groups. What will you do to support the needs of the diverse population within our community?
Having a diverse population contains differences in race, ethnicity, family structure, socioeconomics, and disabilities, among other characteristics. In order to support the community as a whole we need to be open-minded and listen to the community's concerns. As a board we want everyone in the community to succeed.
How would you address the increasing concerns surrounding mental health and bullying within schools? Please be specific with changes you would like to see or additions you would recommend.
The school district has a policy in our handbook regarding bullying, but there is always more that can be done for both mental health and bullying. I would like to see an increase in social workers and psychologists, along with a check-in app. The app could allow all children in the district to let someone know they need help or someone just to know that are having a good or bad day. These things could be a beginning to help more students.
Do you feel it is a conflict of interest to have financial investments with any companies that our district contracts with? Why or why not?
It would be a conflict of interest if a board member had a financial investment with a company that the district does business with. As a school board member, you are not allowed to have a financial investment with a company that the district has a contract with, but you can be an employee of that company. My experience has been to abstain my vote, when I was an employee of a school district, if we had contracts with.
Having a diverse population contains differences in race, ethnicity, family structure, socioeconomics, and disabilities, among other characteristics. In order to support the community as a whole we need to be open-minded and listen to the community's concerns. As a board we want everyone in the community to succeed.
How would you address the increasing concerns surrounding mental health and bullying within schools? Please be specific with changes you would like to see or additions you would recommend.
The school district has a policy in our handbook regarding bullying, but there is always more that can be done for both mental health and bullying. I would like to see an increase in social workers and psychologists, along with a check-in app. The app could allow all children in the district to let someone know they need help or someone just to know that are having a good or bad day. These things could be a beginning to help more students.
Do you feel it is a conflict of interest to have financial investments with any companies that our district contracts with? Why or why not?
It would be a conflict of interest if a board member had a financial investment with a company that the district does business with. As a school board member, you are not allowed to have a financial investment with a company that the district has a contract with, but you can be an employee of that company. My experience has been to abstain my vote, when I was an employee of a school district, if we had contracts with.
