We asked each candidate to answer questions on topics important to the Senn High School community. Below are their answers.
Gbadebo Adegunwa
(pronouns: he / him )
Running for: Community Representative
About the Candidate
In just a few sentences, please tell us about yourself.
I am an immigrant from Nigeria, An Army Reserve, A fresh man Phd Student at Regent University. I am a strong advocate for better school and better community for our kids. I have strong leadership skill which I believe is what Senn LSC needs.
What is your relationship to Senn?
I live within the school community and I attend LSC meetings.
Why do you want to be on the Senn LSC?
Joining the Senn High School Local School Council (LSC) is driven by my desire to directly influence the school’s academic direction in a positive direction, manage budget priorities, and ensure a positive, inclusive environment for all students. It is an opportunity for me to actively shape the community, amplify student/parent voices, and support school improvement.
Do you have any previous experience on a Local School Council? If so, tell us about it.
None, But am an advocate for better school and better community.
Where Your Candidate Stands
We asked each candidate a series of questions that important to the Senn High School community. Their answers are below.
Q1. What do you believe are the responsibilities of a Local School Council?
Candidate Answer:
LSC members shoulder the responsibilities for developing the Continuous Improvement Work Plan (CIWP), approving budgets, and hiring/evaluating the principal, and also help provides a platform to foster a stronger school community, ensuring it remains safe and focused on student needs for our kids.
Q2. What core values do you hope to uphold as a member of the LSC?
Candidate Answer:
Equity, transparency, collaboration, quality leadership, and accountability.
Q3. All Parent and Community LSC members are required to complete 9 mandatory training sessions within six months of taking office.
- If you are a current or former LSC member, have you completed all your training sessions?
- If you have not served on an LSC before, do you commit to competing all 9 training sessions within six months of taking office?
(Candidates were given a matrix of preselected answers. Below are the answers they selected)
Candidate Answer:
- I have never been an LSC member
- I commit to completing all required trainings within six months of taking office
Q4. What does effective communication for a principal entail, in your eyes? In what moments does principal communication matter most?
Candidate Answer:
Effective principal communication entails proactive, transparent, and consistent messaging that utilizes active listening and clear, concise language to build trust among all stakeholders of the school community. For me personally, all communication are important for effectiveness and productivity.
Q5. What is your understanding of CPS's policies regarding ICE and federal agents in school buildings?
Candidate Answer:
There are many CPS's policies regarding ICE. One of the many is that ICE agents are not allowed into school buildings or onto private, secured, or non-public school grounds (like classrooms or offices) unless they produce a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge.
Q6. What kind of leadership would you expect to see from the principal when federal agents target our neighborhood and families?
Candidate Answer:
When federal agents target our neighborhood or family, the principal should focuses on safety of our students, community, and trust-building.
Q7. LSC members are responsible for developing and monitoring the school's improvement plan (CIWP), which includes goals around academic success. Describe your understanding of Senn's academic programs. What academic priorities will you emphasize in your role on the LSC?
Candidate Answer:
Senn High School’s diverse academic programs focuses on magnet programs, IB, and arts integration. My priorities will be enhancing equitable access to rigorous coursework, fostering specialized programs, and strengthening community partnerships to boost student outcomes and success.
Q8. One of the key responsibilities of the LSC is aligning the school's budget to the CIWP.
- If you are or have been a Senn LSC representative, provide an example or two of what you have done to ensure both ongoing and annual budgetary transparency?
- For candidates who have not served on Senn's LSC: Describe your approach to budget accountability, transparency, and oversight.
Candidate Answer:
My approach to budget accountability, transparency, and oversight will center on establishing clear, accessible, and timely financial reporting while aligning spending with strategic goals.
Q9. What should the role of the LSC be if the principal attempts to quietly make changes without transparency or community input?
Candidate Answer:
If a principal attempts to make changes without transparency or community input, the LSC must act as a governing body to ensure accountability, transparency, and also enforcing the legal requirement for collaborative decision-making in all process. This is what the LSC should stand for.
Q10. When families consistently learn important information from outside sources rather than school leadership, what should the LSC do?
Candidate Answer:
If this happen. LSC should find ways to improve communication and ensure important information gets to parents, families, community, and all stakeholders on a timely manner.
Q11. The 5Essentials Survey (link), developed by the University of Chicago in collaboration with CPS, identifies strengths and weaknesses across five areas:
- Effective Leaders (Score: 28, Weak)
- Collaborative Teachers (Score: 47, Neutral)
- Involved Families (Score: 40, Neutral)
- Supportive Environment (Score: 50, Neutral)
- Ambitions Instruction (Not scored due to data error)
What stands out to you and what action steps would you take as an LSC representative to address the challenge areas?
Candidate Answer:
Effective leadership. This is keep to successful outcomes. If done correctly, It will accommodate all the remaining 4 essentials.
Q12. Describe your approach to equity. How would you ensure that decisions made by the LSC support and do not proportionally harm Black, Latino, Indigenous, immigrant, or low-income students? What systems and practices would you support to make sure marginalized voices are not just heard, but actually shape outcomes?
Candidate Answer:
My approach to equity is rooted in the belief that true educational justice requires dismantling systemic barriers that short-change minorities. To ensure that the LSC decisions actively support and do not disproportionately harm Black, Latino, Indigenous, immigrant, or low-income students, I would adopt a proactive, data-driven, and community-centered framework that prioritizes the lived experiences of those most impacted by this systemic inequity.
Q13. One of the key responsibilities of LSC members is to evaluate the school's principal. This LSC term will coincide with the contract renewal timeframe for Senn's principal. Describe how you will approach this responsibility.
What key performance indicators should be the primary focus factors when deciding whether to renew a principal's contract.
Candidate Answer:
Performance and Student Growth and Success.
Additional Candidate Materials
Candidates were offered the opportunity to provide the public with additional materials to be displayed on their profile page. Those materials are provided here.