joo serk lee
new trier high school Board
candidate video
responses to voter guide questions
Introduction:
Please tell us about yourself, your qualifications, and what prompted you to run for School Board?
Questions:
What do you see as the main priorities and challenges for the incoming school board?
I have spent 29 years in the private sector in technology and managing large Profit and Loss portfolios. With regards to technology, there are two primary areas that should be prioritized. The first is with respect to the school’s internal technology. The recent PowerSchool data breach has exposed many children to potential harm, especially in households whose parents may not be technically sophisticated. These vulnerabilities should be examined. The second is with respect to responsible usage of established and emerging technologies that can be very harmful to children when misused. The greatest harm that Artificial Intelligence poses is not writing term papers for students. It is the power to make any person look like they are doing or saying anything.
With regards to the budget, the incumbent Board and the current administration have been fine fiscal stewards. Balancing fiscal responsibility with investments in talent and elevating the student and faculty experience is difficult, and I look forward to offering my point of view in these very important deliberations.
The mental health and safety of students and faculty remain a priority as well.
What are your financial goals and concerns for D203 and how would you work to address them?
There are significant capital expenditures like the build-out of the new gym that have been responsibly funded. My goal for D203 is to continue its legacy of sound investment that has made New Trier High School one of the highest performing schools in the nation.
As a P&L manager that has been responsible for budgets roughly the size of New Trier’s, I am familiar with the challenges that come with competing interests. Addressing concerns is largely a matter of keeping an open door and mind, and mediating conflict.
What, if any, specific educational goals do you have for D203 and how would you work to achieve them?
As a father of three children that are currently attending or have graduated from New Trier High School, I can personally attest to the exceptional education that the school provides. My goals are to build on the legacy of high performance; opportunities in the arts, sports, and other extracurricular activities that promote a culture of learning outside the classroom; and continued evaluation of innovative approaches to education.
How would you improve the board’s transparency and community engagement?
The Board currently holds regular open public meetings where all are welcome and encouraged to voice thoughts according to standards of decorum. All meeting minutes are publicly available for those who cannot attend in person. Additional channels of outreach including mailers and digital presences like websites are of course an option to be considered.
Please tell us about yourself, your qualifications, and what prompted you to run for School Board?
Questions:
What do you see as the main priorities and challenges for the incoming school board?
I have spent 29 years in the private sector in technology and managing large Profit and Loss portfolios. With regards to technology, there are two primary areas that should be prioritized. The first is with respect to the school’s internal technology. The recent PowerSchool data breach has exposed many children to potential harm, especially in households whose parents may not be technically sophisticated. These vulnerabilities should be examined. The second is with respect to responsible usage of established and emerging technologies that can be very harmful to children when misused. The greatest harm that Artificial Intelligence poses is not writing term papers for students. It is the power to make any person look like they are doing or saying anything.
With regards to the budget, the incumbent Board and the current administration have been fine fiscal stewards. Balancing fiscal responsibility with investments in talent and elevating the student and faculty experience is difficult, and I look forward to offering my point of view in these very important deliberations.
The mental health and safety of students and faculty remain a priority as well.
What are your financial goals and concerns for D203 and how would you work to address them?
There are significant capital expenditures like the build-out of the new gym that have been responsibly funded. My goal for D203 is to continue its legacy of sound investment that has made New Trier High School one of the highest performing schools in the nation.
As a P&L manager that has been responsible for budgets roughly the size of New Trier’s, I am familiar with the challenges that come with competing interests. Addressing concerns is largely a matter of keeping an open door and mind, and mediating conflict.
What, if any, specific educational goals do you have for D203 and how would you work to achieve them?
As a father of three children that are currently attending or have graduated from New Trier High School, I can personally attest to the exceptional education that the school provides. My goals are to build on the legacy of high performance; opportunities in the arts, sports, and other extracurricular activities that promote a culture of learning outside the classroom; and continued evaluation of innovative approaches to education.
How would you improve the board’s transparency and community engagement?
The Board currently holds regular open public meetings where all are welcome and encouraged to voice thoughts according to standards of decorum. All meeting minutes are publicly available for those who cannot attend in person. Additional channels of outreach including mailers and digital presences like websites are of course an option to be considered.