Meet Summit Hill D161 Board Of Ed Candidate: Stefanie McCleish

FRANKFORT, IL — Stefanie McCleish is one of eight candidates running for four open positions on the Summit Hill District 161 Board of Education. McCleish is a teacher, and has a Master's degree in educational administration.

McCleish recently filled out the Patch candidate survey, and her answers can be found below:

If you are a candidate for the April election, and would like to answer our Patch candidate questionnaire, please email andrea.earnest@patch.com.

Name: Stefanie McCleish

Age (as of Election Day): 36

Town/city of residence: Frankfort

School district: Summit Hill 161

Family: My husband, Kevin McCleish, is a Social Science teacher at Lincoln-Way East High School. We have two children, Blair (5 ½) who attends Rogus for Kindergarten, and Finn (3).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

I will be the first person in my family running for office. My husband and I are both employed by school boards as educators.

Education: Bachelors of Science in English Education from Illinois State University, Type 75 Educational Administration Masters from Governor's State University, ESL Endorsement from Dominican University, 30+ graduate hours beyond masters

Occupation: English and Multimedia Communications teacher

Campaign website: Can be found here.

Previous or current elected or appointed office: This is my first time running for elected office.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The pandemic remains the single most pressing issue facing any district. Continuing the work to keep students and staff safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic remains a priority. Experiencing the impact of the pandemic as both a parent and teacher, I understand the perspectives of the community, parents, and staff. If elected, I plan on using the appropriate guidelines issued by federal, state, and local health officials, while listening to all stakeholders during the decision-making process.

Specific to our district is the search for a new superintendent. Whether or not I end up being a part of this hiring process, I believe my studies in obtaining a Type 75 educational administration degree have provided me with valuable experiences, such as learning about school finance and how districts are managed, that will remain valuable in working with someone new in the position.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

It is not my place to speak on behalf of other candidates. However, I feel that my credentials and educational experiences, combined with the fact that my own children will be growing up in the district over the next ten years allows me to bring valuable insight and perspective to the table.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community or district?

I do not view my candidacy as a contest against any particular candidate, but instead view it as an opportunity to make the case that my experiences can benefit our community through service on the school board.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

I want to work to enhance the spirit of collaboration between all stakeholders. Teachers, administration, the board of education, and the community were already experiencing divisiveness and tension inherent to the conditions created by the pandemic, which became amplified by the inability to agree to a new teacher contract. I believe my experience on all sides of this issue puts me in a unique position to rebuild trust and collaboration and ensure we focus on our most important asset: the students.

Additionally, as we return from months of remote learning and quarantine it is a priority to assess our students’ social and emotional well-being and provide appropriate support services. Our students and children have been resilient in the most remarkable ways, but we need to also consider the impacts the past year and a half will have on them moving forward. Many families lost loved ones, experienced job loss, as well as other devastating results. We must remember that all students need to feel safe and supported to thrive in their learning environment.

In addition to the well-being of students, curriculum, grading practices, and meeting state standards will be at the forefront of my mind as an educator and parent. I believe we need to continue to base decisions about our students’ education on data, research, best practices, and teacher and community input.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Over my 13 years in education I have done all I can to be involved and invested in the buildings and communities I have worked in. In addition to my English Education degree, I also have my Master’s in Educational Administration and recently received an endorsement to teach English Language learners. I believe that teachers have the responsibility to be life-long learners, which is why I continue to take graduate hours related to a variety of different educational topics. For the past eight years I have been a grade level team leader, a substitute coordinator, and have hosted several student teachers. I have participated in a plethora of committees, including but not limited to “In the kNow” current events committee (as a founder), library remodeling team, and our district equity committee. Additionally, I have served in a technology support position in which I assisted colleagues as our school shifted to Schoology and became 1 to 1 with iPads. I have also built a classroom library of over 200 books for my students through funds from a variety of grants, was named an Outstanding Contributor to Education, and have helped build a brand new curriculum for an innovative Multimedia Communications Pathway. I believe all of these experiences provide me with a great deal of educational knowledge and display my commitment to do what is best for students.

Why should voters trust you?

Ever since my first day as an educator I have been trusted to provide the best educational experiences for my students. I view this as a continuation of that mission.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office a success?

My success as a board member cannot be measured by individual accomplishments, but instead measured by our students’ collective success. As my campaign mantra, ‘Student Focused’ suggests, this position will not be about me, but will continue to be about our students.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Public schools should receive adequate funding to ensure the success of all students.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

I support the right of any social advocacy group to exercise the first amendment.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

I often apply the Japanese concept of “kaizen,” or “constant improvement” to questions of equity. Creating an equitable environment is not akin to reaching the peak of a mountain. Instead, I view equity as a terrain that is constantly changing, and therefore, always requires a reevaluation of current practices. Democracy is a dialogue, and justice is never permanent, which requires us to constantly reflect on our approaches in a world of constant contingencies.

What are your thoughts on the district’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic? Are you in favor of remote learning, in-person learning or a hybrid of the two? Do you support a mask mandate for students and school staff, or mandatory coronavirus testing for both students and staff?

Hindsight is always 20/20 and it is easy for witnesses to list all of the different decisions they would make, however, it is difficult to actually be in positions to make these decisions with constantly changing targets and parameters from different government officials and health departments. The board continued to meet, sometimes weekly, to discuss these frequently changing details.

Although there was not a consensus in the community regarding all of these decisions, the communication by the district was decisive and prompt which allowed families, including our own to determine childcare in advance.

My absolute preference and what I believe is best for students is to be in person. In the midst of a pandemic, however, I believe that we should defer to the guidance of public health officials. Our priority should always be figuring out how to get students and staff safely in schools. With mitigation strategies and increasing distribution of the vaccine the remainder of this year looks promising.

The collective benefits of mask wearing have made returning to in-person school a possibility.

In terms of Coronavirus testing, I would defer to the CDC, IDPH and county health officials when it comes to quarantining or testing after an individual has experienced symptoms.

When the vaccine is available to them, do you support mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for students and staff?

IDPH currently sets mandatory vaccine policies for Illinois students, and I would continue to defer to their present and future requirements. In terms of staff, I would defer to both suggested and mandatory guidelines, but believe teachers should do everything they can to keep students safe.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No, I am truly committed to the job should I win.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The best advice ever shared with me comes from my Dad who is a retired heavy and highway construction worker and foreman. He expressed to me that when it comes to any kind of job, project, or task, you never do it halfway, you never cut corners or take shortcuts, and you always have a clear plan in mind. I have applied this to many areas of my life including teaching, and I plan to do the same as a public servant and elected official. You can trust that I will do this job with integrity. I will do this job to the absolute best of my ability, and I will continue to improve, grow, and learn.