Meet Thomas J. Martelli: Kirby School District 140 Candidate

TINLEY PARK, IL — Meet Thomas J. Martelli, Kirby School District 140 school board candidate. The Consolidated Elections are April 6.

Martelli recently filled out the Patch candidate survey, and his answers can be seen below.

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

Thomas J. Martelli

Age (as of election)

61

Town/city of residence

Tinley Park

School District

Kirby School District 140

Family

I am happily married to my wife, Angie, of 32 years and we have lived in Tinley Park for over 23 years. We have 3 beautiful children: Natalie, Tom, and Nick. All of them were educated in Kirby 140 and District 230 respectively. They received an exceptional education and have all gone on to successful and professional careers. We also have 2 grandsons: Logan and Aedan

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

I attended DePauw University in Greencastle, IN and received a degree in business. I also completed the IBEW local 134 apprenticeship training program and am a proud member of that union.

Occupation

I am currently the Logistics Manager at LGH for the past 8 years. I have over 30 years of experience in the Logistics field.

Campaign website

KSD 140 School Board Candidates-DeMicheal*Shalash*Mullee*Martelli | Facebook

Previous or current elected or appointed office

I have been a proud member of the Kirby 140 School Board, where I have served as President, Vice President, Secretary, and member. I also served as nominating chair for South Cook County Illinois Association of School Boards, which covers many districts in the South Cook Region. I was also an officer in the St. Elizabeth Seton Men's Club

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

There are several large issues facing school boards today. The top one is to get our children back in school full time. This must be done safely and ensuring that not only kids are safe, but also the staff is protected as well. I believe that when we made the announcement to bring our kids back full time we were among the first. I know some districts have been back full time, but most of them were back for an average of between 3-4 hours a day.

The other issue is the social emotional needs of our students, and with that in mind the district has purchased a social emotional screening tool as of last summer which will help the district recognize which students will need help. We currently have counselors and social workers in all of our buildings to help our children. Our teachers have always had knowledge of their students and have made appropriate referrals to our social workers and counselors, but the tool will help us to identify hidden needs. The screener can be used when students are in front of them, and now that we are going to full time learning, the teachers and staff can further plan for the needs of our children in this unprecedented time. The first obligation of any school board should be all children first. The entire child must be considered and that has always been our goal

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

My many years of experience on this board, the fact that I have achieved Master Board Member status, and my experience holding an officer’s position on South Cook County IASB. Over the years we have addressed many difficult situations on our board, and each situation has been handled with the utmost professionalism. This shows my dedication and ability to adapt to diverse situations.

In my years of experience, the biggest difference that I have seen between a successful and an unsuccessful board is the ability to work together. That does not mean that you rubber stamp everything, but you have discussions and come to the best solution for our kids. You cannot become a good member if you come in with a personal agenda. You must show respect not only to each other, but to the administrators, teachers and staff of our district. Calling and belittling administrators is not professional. We have over 3500 children and we must remember we represent all of the children.

Over the years our board has worked very well together and has made this one of the top districts in our area both educationally and financially. The slate we have assembled will continue that effort. We will work for all of the kids. A good board member unites the community and does not divide it.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Since I have been on this board with the help of the community we have taken this district out of debt and are financially sound. We have also remodeled every school to enhance not only the look, but the safety of all of the buildings. We work with the teachers with institute days to keep them abreast of the latest developments. We encourage them to further their education which in turn benefits our children. This district as a team looks at the entire child which includes education, social emotional and extra-curricular activities. We need to continue to work towards communication, and to also stay on top of the ever changing technology in today’s society

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

The accomplishments of the past are a team effort not just one individual. We have won the Meritorious budget award for the last 16 years. Our district is ranked among the tops in this area. We have classes that our 8th grade students can take and receive high school credit. We have remodeled and made safer all of our schools. Our schools are in neighborhoods and need to be kept up. We have been at the forefront of technology. Our schools have been equipped with fiber optic lines to increase the need as technology becomes more prevalent. The most important thing that we have accomplished is the fact that we look at the entire child. We have counselors and social workers in all of our schools. We have DESSA which will help all of our kids with their social emotional needs. Our entire staff works well together and our kids get one of the top educations in this area. This can be proven by how successful district 230 has been since up until a couple of years ago we were the only feeder district to them (Andrew). We have given our children a solid foundation so that District 230 could take them to the next level.

Why should voters trust you?

Voters should trust me because since I have been on this board I have always put children first. I do not have a personal agenda and have worked well with all of the boards that I have served on. I have never shied away from a question whether at a meeting or in public. We have made cost cutting measures that did not affect children's education, but to our office staff which has save the district millions of dollars. We are on sound financial ground and continue to look for new ways to improve our kids’ education. I also show respect to all of staff members and with their help we have formed a great team. This team works well together and does not take to social media to try and divide our district, but we come together as one.

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

The best accomplishment at this time is to get all of our children and staff back into school safely.

As always we should always look toward becoming the best. We have to make sure that all of our schools are succeeding for our community both educationally and emotionally, along with being accountable to all of our community members. In our district we make accomplishments every day.

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

We have been extremely responsible with tax payer money. We have won the meritorious budget award for the past 16 years. We were able to remodel and make safer all of schools. The most important is that we continue this practice and use our funds to continue to advance forward with new educational programs. We answer to the community and review the finances monthly. Our finances should always be used on our kids. Advancement in curriculum, extra-curricular activities and technology to make them successful

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 any peaceful demonstration that can bring our country together

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

Yes: as our demographics have changed, this board has also changed. We recognize the different cultures that exist and have made many changes over the years. When the community has brought us concerns we talked with them and made the necessary changes. We must take into account all of our children and over the years that is what we have done.

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?

This board has handled the pandemic very well. No one could have predicted these changes or what our life would be like now. We prepared multiple surveys and sent them out to the community. While we are going back to full time on April 7th, the fear of this pandemic is still out there. Some families wanted us to return full-time immediately; however, a majority requested at home learning when it began. Some districts only went back for half days. As a district, we weighed all of the options during this trying time. The guidelines kept changing and we have to look at all of stakeholders. When we announced that we were coming back for full days, other districts in our area started following our lead. We will continue to offer remote learning as some parents and kids with underlying medical concerns cannot return. We are not out of the woods yet, but all of the buildings are cleaned thoroughly daily and air purifiers have been purchased for all of the rooms. This district is implementing strict cleaning methods to ensure the safety of all of its staff members and students. We must ensure that our students and staff continue to wear masks for the safety of everyone.

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

I would never mandate that anyone have to take the Covid-19 vaccination. That is a personal choice for each individual.

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

I see no reason why I could not serve the entire 4 year term. I am looking forward to continuing our progress and I enjoy giving back to our community.

The best advice ever shared with me was ____________

No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child.