District 70 School Board Race: Lauren Marks Profile

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — After a year when school boards were tasked with making tough decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the spring election will feature many packed school board races featuring candidates with differing opinions on how we should be educating our children.

The Libertyville Elementary District 70 school board race includes several candidates who've pushed for a return to in-person learning. Like many school districts, D70 spent most of the year learning remotely.

There are nine people running for five open seats on the school board. Seven of the candidates are seeking four open seats for a four-year term on the board of education while two candidates are vying for a single two-year term.

Patch.com reached out to the candidates running for the school board race, requesting they complete a candidate survey. Here is the response for Lauren Marks who is running against incumbent school board president Wendy Schilling for unexpired two-year term:

Age: 40

Town/city of residence: Libertyville

School district: District 70

Family: My husband (Libertyville High School graduate) and I have two children in elementary school.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: Bachelor of Arts (Political Science)- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Master of Science (Speech Language Pathology)-Marquette University

Occupation: Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist, 14 years of experience

Campaign website: www.parentsdeliveringleadership.com

Previous or current elected or appointed office: None

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it: There are two critical issues that require drastic improvement on the current board: communication and transparency. I would like to open doors by meeting with all interested constituents and actively pursuing community engagement. I would accomplish this task by answering emails and having sit-down conversations in local coffee shops with constituents on a quarterly basis. I want to be a collaborator. Because I am a problem-solver, helper, and creative-thinker, I am eager to be part of the team that identifies solutions to help District 70 return to school safely and effectively and restore a sense of normalcy.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?: We have very different backgrounds and perspectives about how the district should operate. I have 14 years of experience working in schools with children and collaborating with educational teams. In addition, I am directly experiencing all of the decisions this board makes in my own home because I have elementary school-aged children in the district. The other candidate has not experienced remote or hybrid learning in District 70 because she has adult children. We are similar in that we are both taxpayers. However, I believe the district needs to be fiscally responsible by ensuring every tax dollar is used wisely to benefit the children.

Perhaps the single largest difference is our contrasting view of the role of public education in the lives of District 70 children. I was crushed to hear the Board President (the other candidate in the race for the two-year seat) repeatedly label this year as a "throwaway" at the February board meeting. As a current District 70 parent, each and every exposure my kids have to the outstanding resources and staff is critical. My children have nine years in this district, and they can not afford to lose a single one. In addition, it is evident how hard the staff is working to engage and inspire our kids. As a teacher myself, I know the challenge of trying to inspire, engage, and "reach" kids through a screen. This is not an easy feat and it cannot be forgotten by all members of the Board and Administration. To suggest throwing out this year is to diminish the extraordinary efforts of the staff. Writing off this year is not an option; every educational opportunity counts.