Meet Lincoln-Way D210 Board Of Education Candidate: Tania Rempert

NEW LENOX, IL — Tania Rempert is one of five candidates running for three open positions on the Lincoln-Way Community High School Board of Education. Rempert is a Frankfort resident, and has a Doctorate in Educational Psychology. She works in program evaluation.

Rempert 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: Tania Rempert

Age (as of Election Day): 43

Town/city of residence: Frankfort

School district: Lincoln-Way Community High School District No. 210

Family: Brian, Lillian (Lincoln-Way East Class of '23), Brenden (7th), Tyler (2nd), Carson (pre-K)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education:

B.S. Public Health University of Illinois ('99), A.M. Social Service Administration, University of Chicago ('01), Ph.D. Educational Psychology, University of Illinois ('08)

Occupation:

Program Evaluation, 20 years

Campaign website: Can be found here.

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.

Since the current board already has a long-term plan to address the bond debt, I think the single most pressing issue facing our district is helping the students bounce back and grow after the Covid shut down. In order to I intend to: (1) Start with a shared vision for the district that focuses on strategic planning for outcomes rather than activities. (2) Implement a continuous quality improvement system for curriculum and programs, starting with disaggregating data to identify important trends that may need to be improved. (3) Be purposeful in choosing programs for our 1:1 computers that will work for targeting math, giving feedback on writing skills, as well as psychoeducational programs such that the computers do not become a distraction from learning what matters. (4) Implement a student and staff program beginning this summer to foster relationships to come together and rebuild sense of community after more than a year of transactional interactions.

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

I have a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and earned my Master’s degree for Social Work from the University of Chicago, which gives me a different perspective on the healing and recovery that will need to take place in the next six months and over the next two years to rebound and grow after this past year of loss, loneliness, and chaos. My 20-year career in evaluating educational and social programs has given me a nation-wide perspective of what works in education and I want to apply my expertise to our district as we recover from COVID. As a former professor for principals and superintendents working on their dissertations at Loyola Chicago, I will be a good thought partner and support for the administration, while also being a liaison to parents and the community with clear and frequent communication about decisions that have been made. As a mommy to four children, I will have a student in LW210 for the next 14 years; so I am invested in the quality of our schools for the long haul.

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

I would be remiss to not mention that I think the resolve the district staff and previous board members have made to remediate the financial issues of the past is remarkable. I acknowledge the strong financial position we are in now is a strength that may have been previously taken for granted and must be protected. However, I think there are several ways we can use our resources to improve upon our already exceptionally strong academic programs. My most fervent wish is that our school district does not become complacent by thinking we are good enough. We must strive for continued excellence in all areas by improving our programs, strategies, and policies that are not meeting intended outcomes to become stronger overall and an exemplar toward which other districts strive. Instead of viewing this next year as “returning to normal”, we can view this next year as an opportunity to enhance pedagogy, upgrade programs, and raise the bar on student expectations. It is time for strategic planning and I will make sure we plan for raising performance at the schools while focusing on developing leadership and citizenship.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

Other issues that define my campaign platform are student leadership and integration of LWSRA. In order to help rebuild relationships between students, we need to double down on recruiting students to be involved in at least one school activity or group and utilize research-based strategies to meet students’ social emotional needs in each activity and group to achieve the intended changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors targeted by each group. Student leadership opportunities are often relegated to social experiences rather than true leadership. We can expand on leadership programs that already exist; not only engaging students who are already the most popular; we can ask teachers to intentionally nominate and seek to engage those who would never volunteer on their own. Additionally, based on feedback from the community, I would like to see the Lincoln-way Special Recreation Association to be further integrated into the schools. I know these athletes have their own facilities located only half a mile away from my house, but I would like to find ways for these students to practice and play at the East, Central, and West campuses; perhaps even with the teams during or after regular seasons. Along these lines, I would also love to see the Lincoln-way Special Olympics to be held on a Saturday, so all students and the whole community can join in on cheering on our young neighbors who need relationships just like the rest of us.

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

As a trained social worker with a lifelong commitment to driving excellence in education, I have 20 years of evidence that I can handle this job. I am the founder and president of a nation-wide nonprofit that helps organizations increase efficiencies and enhance outcomes. I have been hired and entrusted to provide strategic planning, best-practice implementation, and outcomes-focused evaluation for early childhood programs, after-school programs, principal preparation programs, personal-finance curricula, foreign-language programs, and career readiness programs. I also provided leadership to the development of the ISBE arts learning standards. In all of these roles, I have had to balance competing priorities and determine the appropriate information necessary to inform decisions and build consensus.

Why should voters trust you?

I do not belong to a PAC, run on a slate, have an ideological agenda, or own a business for which I am using this platform to build a clientele. I am running independently, as a volunteer mom who serves hot lunch and works the concession stand, to use my expertise to help the district rebound, rebuild, and assure resilience for our academic and extra-curricular programs to support the development of our students.

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

I will consider my term in office a success if together we can improve the percentage of students proficient in reading, math, and science, increasing the number of students going to college or career prep programs after graduation, and improving responses from parents and students regarding school culture. I do not think that public education has to choose between academic achievement, career preparation, and citizenship. I think our District 210 has the opportunity and resources to successfully provide rigorous academic instruction, provide opportunities to learn skills necessary to join the workforce, and promote good citizenship! It will be my charge, while on the board to be sure to inform and support policies that create an environment where the best practices for each of these areas are able to thrive with a comprehensive curriculum and improved practice of teaching. We do not have to be singular in our focus or expectations. I have high expectations for what public education can achieve for individuals and our society. I have no doubt that for years to come, thoughtful and talented youth will graduate from LW210. Our Lincolnway graduates will change the world as a result of the foundation they gained from a committed citizenry supporting excellence in this district.

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

I am a fiscal conservative in that I do not believe money should be spent on programs that are not meeting their outcomes and achieving changes in knowledge, behaviors, attitudes, or status. I believe that spending money wisely to improve student outcomes, will raise property values and attract growth for all of the small businesses in our communities.

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 attended the BLM rally in Frankfort. I believe that we should treat others the way we want to be treated and to stand up and work for the just treatment of others. I cannot turn a blind eye to racism. I respect the dignity of every human life.

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

The training that was recently attempted at the district level reportedly missed the mark and was reportedly not helpful. It has been my experience that most teachers are not comfortable nor trained to discuss issues of equity, race, or other social emotional learning skills with students. I would like to support opportunities for faculty to reflect on their instruction and interactions with their most vulnerable students. The value of student-staff connections in this regard is foundational for students having a transformational education experience to help them achieve their highest potential. There is evidence that we have a positive school culture in each of the buildings, which is an important component to strong academic outcomes. Especially in this year of loneliness, chaos, and loss, it will be important for each student to feel valued and cherished by our school community and find places to belong and develop relationships across student groups. We need continued ongoing teacher development to be a cornerstone of our district for students to develop social emotional skills, support one another, and build relationships across student groups.

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?

I think the hybrid program to decrease the number of people in the school building each day was wise. I also think that by offering a fully remote option for students, everyone is able to feel safe. Since all staff have been offered vaccines at this point, I believe we should allow all students who are ready to come back to campus full time as soon as the state will allow this to happen while social distancing and wearing masks. I also think that in order to bounce back and grow when everyone is able to return back to campus at the same time, we will need to develop a plan to provide wide-spread academic supports to students who need remediation from the lost months of full-time, in-person learning.

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

No, I do not think a mandate will be necessary, because I think the majority of people will elect to take the vaccine voluntarily.

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

I plan to complete the full four years of my term.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Never do anything you don't want your mom to read about on the front page of the New York Times (or Patch)!