Questions From Voters

Question:  Do you support the tax increase made by the Alpine School Board on August 5, 2025?

Ilene's Answer:  After attending the school board meeting where a 1.76% tax rate increase was approved, I have been asked if I support such action.  Here are my thoughts:

A tax increase of net 1.76% ($28 per year on a $520,000 home) was approved on August 5 by the Alpine School Board.  While $28 per year doesn’t seem like a whole lot of money per household, it is still a tax increase.  What I do support is more investigation of a net zero tax, an option that was not discussed at the school board meeting.

My husband and I are both retired and on a fixed income.  A tax increase cuts into our monthly income. I do not like tax increases and as a school board member will always explore all options to avoid tax increases while maintaining the essential functions of the district.  It is vital for students to feel happy and safe at school while thriving academically and socially.  

Question:. Did you vote, yes or no, to split the Alpine School district? Can you explain why you voted "yes" or "no"?

Ilene's Answer: I voted yes on the district split.  I attended the MGT meetings (the group that collected all the data about the split) who recommended to keep the district intact, however, I wasn't satisfied with the current Alpine School Board who seemed to be non-responsive to the growth we were experiencing in our area.  I was the principal of Traverse Mountain Elementary when the enrollment got up to 1200 students before it split.  There are so many challenges when growth is high at a school and I didn't believe some members of the school board were being aggressive to our growth needs.  I believe Alpine School District has many great aspects and I was happy for the 16 years I was employed with them.  I am retired now and believe my background and experience in education will be valuable to creating a new school district.

Question:  I have been looking into the school board candidates and I’m interested in your stance and plans for special education in the district.

Ilene's Answer:  Special Education requirements fall under federal law in the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Once an IEP (Individual Education Program) or 504 is written, it follows the student anywhere in the United States. As a past principal, I was the case manager for hundreds of IEPs and 504s. I often observed with amazement how parents and staff members came together to find the best solutions for students. I love how creative and innovative the process can be when the best minds come together to help struggling students. Special Education is vital in our schools and I support helping students thrive in their development process.

Question: What questions do you think will be important to ask when interviewing to hire a superintendent for our new district?

Ilene's Answer:  On top of great leadership skills and the ability to bring people together and moving them forward, I want a reflective leader. One who is constantly looking back at their actions and processes and noticing how they could have done something better.

I want to advertise nationally and hire an individual who understands our culture and history. I'm all for innovative and creative solutions to issues that arise, but, I don't want an individual who is going to stir things up or bring in a slew of new ideas just because they worked in another district. I want what is best for our district and our students. Alpine is such a respected and fantastic district, I want to bring much of that to our new district.

I hope to ask the question, “Who is most responsible for student learning: the student, parent, or teacher?” Those who know my hiring practices know I asked this question to hundreds of interviewees over the ten years I was principal. While an overwhelming majority of interviewees answered, “it takes all three,” what they neglected to realize is, that wasn’t the question. The question was, “who is MOST responsible for student learning?” Those who know the right answer to this question will get a green light for my approval to hire. The answer gives deep insight about how they view education and the position of Superintendent.

Question:  if we get involved in P3s as a district, what keeps the private business from affecting school policies? Will the board be beholden to do whatever the private businesses want?

Ilene's Answer:  We should look for ways to fund education especially if it helps alleviate the need to burden the taxpayer, but never at the expense of losing our ability to govern without strings attached.

Question: What is the key to cooperation when opinions/priorities are not aligned among board members?

Ilene's Answer:  I think it is important to embrace our differences and learn from each viewpoint. It is crucial that all viewpoints be listened to and understood. What I mean by "understood" is the person giving a viewpoint needs to feel like others have heard them and know where they are coming from. Once everyone has been given an opportunity to voice their viewpoint then a vote will be taken and the majority wins. I have found throughout my career as a teacher and principal if people feel understood, they can move on with the majority.

Question: What do you feel your inadequacy is and what are you currently doing to gain more knowledge or experience in that area?

Ilene's Answer:  I am retired from Alpine School District. Having been a teacher and principal in Alpine Schoo District I feel very comfortable with the ins and outs of the district and hope to bring all that is good in Alpine over to our Lake Mountain School District. I believe I need a bit more information and knowledge at the State Legislature level where bills are passed that affect our district. I plan to become more involved in the process by attending legislative meetings in Salt Lake City and becoming better acquainted with State Legislators so I can influence votes and bills to the benefit of the district.

Question: If elected, what are your plans to balance your new position with your current employment? How many hours do you commit to working the first 2 years of a 3 or 5 year term (depending on your seat) on building our new school district?

Ilene's Answer:  My current employment is retired. I retired as an administrator in Alpine School District two years ago. As a teacher and administrator I rarely put in less than 50 hours a week into my job. I am a person who is committed to students and staff so I imagine those same hours will be devoted to building Lake Mountain School District. I'm prepared to give it my all not just the first two years, but all five years of my term.

Question: Please share how you would Identify and publicly disclose any time family employment overlaps with board business. Recuse yourself from votes or negotiations that could directly impact your own or your family’s income. Champion or strengthen policies that guard against real and perceived conflicts of interest, ensuring decisions serve only our students and taxpayers.

Ilene's Answer:  I do not have any family members who work for the district. I do not anticipate having to rescue myself from a vote since I do not have children or grandchildren who attend in the district. If there are conflicts of interest, which I don't anticipate, I would be transparent and recuse myself from voting on that particular issue.

Question:  Were you supportive of the district split or not.

Ilene's Answer:  I voted for the district split and was vocal about it on social media.  I helped put up signs and attended cottage meetings. 

Question:  Have you joined the PTA/PTO/FSO or other parent org this year at your child's school or a neighborhood school? Have you volunteered at the parent organization's events?

Ilene's Answer:  I am a retired teacher and principal of Alpine School District so I have been involved at many levels from working in the classroom, running a school, and serving on district-wide committees. I was elected by my fellow elementary school principals as Principal Mentor of the Year and served on the District's 504 Committee. What brought me the greatest joy in my career was watching students grow and learn on their path toward adulthood.

Question:  How do you anticipate prioritizing district spending? With the creation of a new district we will need to be competitive with teacher salaries, administrative salaries (both in schools and in district administrative positions) class size reduction, and building of schools, etc. How do we prioritize each of these needs given limited resources, and how does bonding and/or taxes come into play?

Ilene's Answer:  Prioritizing district spending is one of the main jobs of the school board, if not the main job of the school board. My main focus is all students and their success in school. In order to give our very best to students, we need talented and qualified teachers. Teacher compensation and expenses dealing with instruction are the largest budget item and needs to be weighed heavily against capital needs and the property taxes we ask of our citizens. If our school board is the envy of other school boards, our property values will remain constant and that helps us keep our schools a high priority. We are a high growth area and that brings on its own challenges. I was the principal of Traverse Mountain Elementary in Alpine School District when it hit 1200 students. I can relate personally with parents and teachers on all the challenges high growth brings. Thank goodness a new school was built and we were able to split. Anticipating growth by consulting with cities and building new buildings accordingly is a high priority. I anticipate we will need to ask the citizens for a school bond before too long.

Question:  Curriculum Oversight: How will you approach selecting/reviewing academic curriculum in core areas of study (e.g. Science and History) to ensure that it remains rooted in core disciplines rather than ideological or philosophical interpretations (e.g., biogenesis, macroevolution, revisionist history, etc.)?

Ilene's Answer:  A few years ago I was asked to serve on the Alpine School District selection committee for a new elementary literacy curriculum.  It was a detailed process that involved elementary school educators, administrators, and parents.  Utah has developed core standards of which schools adhere to.  We sought after a curriculum that would assist in student learning of the core standards while maintaining the core values of our community.  I strongly believe parents and educators should be involved in the selection process of curriculum.  

Question:  Parental Rights and Academic Freedom: What is your view on the role of parents in shaping curriculum transparency and the boundaries of what’s taught in classrooms, and if you favor parental involvement, what does that look like in practical terms?

Ilene's Answer:  When my children were younger in K-12 education I was an active and involved stay-at-home Mom.  I didn’t get into education as a career until all my children were in college.  I remember as a Mom in Arizona I was disturbed with some of the middle school social learning that was going on.  I didn’t like that I wasn’t informed of the curriculum, and that it was an “Opt-out” circumstance (all students take the course of study unless the student is opted-out with a signed document from their parents). That meant if I wanted my child to not take the course, she would be singled out.  I advocated for an “Opt-In” situation but to no avail.  As a principal I was thrilled and insisted that the 5th grade maturation program in our elementary school be an “opt-in” program.  No student could take the course unless they had a signed document from their parents.  I favor parent involvement and invite parents at evey level.  I advocate for this because that is what I wanted as a mother when my children were in school.    

Question:  Cultural and Moral Instruction: What do you believe is the appropriate role of the school district in addressing topics such as gender confusion, sexual preference, and other morally sensitive cultural issues in the classroom, especially when these topics may conflict with the values held by many families?

Ilene's Answer:  As a former principal, I believe it is important to maintain a safe learning environment where all children can learn. It is just as important to ensure that parents maintain their rights and ability to have a say in their child's education. As a member of the school board, I will work hard to make district-level decisions that respect parental rights and promote a safe learning environment for students. Local boards must also follow all state and local laws, so any Utah legislative laws passed around these issues are ones I would respect because I believe strongly in the rule of law. 

Question: Fiscal Stewardship: What is your position on property tax increases and school funding through bonds? Would you find it more intellectually difficult to support taxing the balances on savings accounts, as these are liquid assets unlike property taxes? I ask that second question hyperbolically because I find property taxes archaic, given that having real property used to mean generating revenue off of that property during a time when income wasn't reported accurately.

Ilene's Answer: I want our schools to be top-notch and attract the best teachers and staff who will take our students to the next generation ready and prepared to be the best of society.  The State doesn’t give us enough money to keep up with the demand for school buildings. I intend to explore different revenue sources, the more creative and innovative, the better, as long as we maintain our power to run the district without outside influence. Property taxes, bonds and grants are the most common sources of revenue, and it won’t surprise me if, at some point in the future, the school board asks the voters if they are willing to bond themselves for revenue to build schools.  If not, we’ll keep looking at what other districts are doing and find ways to make it work.