ALGONQUIN – Local Education Association District 300 (LEAD 300), District 300 Education Support Association (DESA) and District 300 Educational Services Personnel Association (DESPA) recommend Christine Birkett, Emmanuel Thomas and Dr. David Scarpino for Community Unit School District 300 School Board. The candidates were chosen after an extensive vetting process.
The following is a joint statement from the District 300 unions, LEAD 300 President Michael Williamson, DESA President Michele Meyer and DESPA President Amy Moreno:
“We strongly believe these candidates will continue to expand upon the good work we are doing in District 300.
Over the last several years, District 300 stakeholders have worked collaboratively to implement full-day kindergarten, to return art and introduce STEM in our elementary schedule, to provide direct intervention to struggling learners, and to expand and enhance our offerings at the middle and high school levels. We have worked to provide every student with the technology needed to find success in today’s world, made countless improvements to our school facilities, and served as careful stewards of taxpayer funds. These candidates recognize the importance of that work and will ensure it continues.
As educators and professionals in the district, we must use our collective voice to advocate for what is in our students’ best interests. The recommended candidates share our vision of a district that embraces diversity and works to meet the needs of each and every individual student. We believe they will strive to prepare students for and connect students with equitable and powerful opportunities upon graduation.
We are reaching out to the 2,500 Illinois Education Association members who live in District 300 via multiple channels of communication, so that our voices are heard as educators. And we’re encouraging all community members, to vote for Christine Birkett, Emmanuel Thomas and Dr. David Scarpino on April 6.”
LEAD 300, DESA and DESPA represent more than 2,300 members in District 300, including teachers, nurses, social workers, speech pathologists, school psychologists, school counselors, paraeducators, secretaries, custodians, buildings and grounds workers, central office specialists, birth-3 parent educators, family school liaisons, and security officers working in Community Unit District 300.
District 300 is the sixth largest school district in the state and serves the communities of Algonquin, Carpentersville, East Dundee, West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow, Gilberts, Pingree Grove, Hampshire, Lake in the Hills and Cary.
###
The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state’s largest education employee’s organization. IEA represents preK-12 teachers outside of the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
