D210 Candidates Answer: How Do You Improve Student Learning?

Every day this week, Patch will give you the Lincoln-Way District 210 candidates' answers to a different question that deals with the financial and educational issues facing the school district.

We'll compile all the responses here, ordered in the way names will be on the ballot, and you can also get more election information on the . Today's question is:

How would you like to see student learning improve and progress over a hypothetical term?

There is so much that exists right now. We have a mentoring program where the best of the best students help those students who are struggling. Our writing labs help students with homework as well as resumes. We have an incredible AP program. I'd like to see those opportunities grow.

The vision is long-term. It doesn't happen overnight. We should continue to look at ways we can reach kids. That includes staff development so our staff can develop their skills ets and bring them to the classroom. The ultimate goal is to have 100 percent of kids meeting the state standards. We're not there, but we're working toward that goal.

It comes very slow, especially with ACT scores, because of the number of kids involved. If you can come up .1 or .2 percentage points per year, that is fantastic. It just doesn’t jump 5 percent. It’s a long-term process to set your goal on where you want to be one year from now and two years. We have identified those students who don't make (standards). We put those kids in a class to spend just a little more time on reading and math.

We encourage and promote programs that support student achievement and tailor those programs to meet the needs of the students. As they come up [in the schools] and move through the curriculum and plan and look at how to meet the needs of the students. 

(The district) needs to work with legislators to change the law (Elementary and Secondary Education Act or No Child Left Behind). I think that education is about local government establishing priorities. The federal government overreached when they got into education. 

If you take a look at school systems around the world and where we are today, I think we need to really step up in math, science, chemistry, writing skills, these kids need to compete in the business world when they get out, they need to be prepared better. I think we have lost the spirit of invention, looking at new challenges with an attitude that says we can solve this, the United States was founded on a we can do thinking, we need to get back to that. We laugh at old things like going to the moon, it does not have the aura it once had, today it does not seem we have the same passion to find or invent new things, we need to challenge our kids to expand the way they think, look for new ideas, invent or create new things for the future.

At this point, it’s up to the Departmnet of Education, because they set up the No Child Left Behind program. ... It’s not so much what Lincoln-Way needs to do but what the state needs to do. 

No Child Left Behind is something that needs to be left behind. I think it’s a matter of talking with teachers and students themselves,  getting better communication with the teachers for what resources they need to be successful.

Mark Zilinskas did not respond to multiple phone calls requesting interviews.

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