Elizabeth Caparelli-Ruff, Will County Regional Superintendent 2022 Primary Election Questionnaire – Shaw Local

Elizabeth Caparelli-Ruff, candidate for Will County Regional Superintendent of Education, answered the Shaw Local election questionnaire for the Will County Superintendent primary.

Voting closes for the primaries on the evening of June 28th.

Full name: Elizabeth Caparelli-Ruff

Which office are you looking for? Will County ROE Superintendent

What offices have you held so far? Will County ROE Trustee

Homer Glen District 16 Committee Member

City: Homer Glen

Profession: Executive director of the student union

Training: BA, Loyola University

Masters, Lewis University

PhD, Concordia University

Campaign Website: elizabethcaparelli-ruff.com

What are the 3 biggest challenges schools in Will County face?

keep children in school

Appropriate curriculum

teacher shortage

What would be your top three priorities over the next four years?

My top 3 priorities would be to meet all of the local superintendents in Will County. Attend board meetings in each district to get a feel for the culture. Review the budget to ensure dollars are being appropriately spent on life safety issues, professional development, and teacher recruitment.

What do you bring to the table that your opponents don’t?

I was a teacher for 4 years, dean for 4 years, principal for 3 years, director of special education for 10 years and executive director of the Studentenwerk for a year. In addition, I have been a part-time professor for 3 years. I believe this level of experience makes me a well-rounded candidate who can draw on my breadth of experience to make wise decisions for Will County families.

What else should be done to ensure school districts need to address learning losses or social/emotional needs that may have been caused by the pandemic?

I believe that all school districts need to go back to the basics of education and first assess where the student’s current level of literacy and math is. Then we need to make sure we’re teaching a curriculum that can help students in colleges, trade schools, or in the military. As far as SEL needs it, make sure students know they can talk to the social worker or school administrator if they need to talk about issues that are bothering them.

What role do you think the regional superintendent has in curriculum decisions in the region’s school districts?

I believe that all school districts need to go back to the basics of education and first assess where the student’s current level of literacy and math skills is. Then we need to make sure we’re teaching a curriculum that can help students in either college, trade school, or the military. As far as SEL needs it, make sure students know they can talk to the social worker or school administrator if they need to talk about issues that are bothering them.

What else could be done to meet the need for more teachers, both in the short and long term?

Having worked as a professor in a teacher preparation program, I believe partnering with local colleges to ensure a positive relationship is built and that we train teachers and use teachers properly is key to success. This is both a short-term and a long-term solution. In addition, we ensure that where there are teaching assistants who have the ability and passion to help students, we encourage collaborations within districts that work with universities so that attending classes directly after work where these staff work , is possible.

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