Kane County Reporter

Campton Hills resident Elias Palacios is a candidate for the school board at St. Charles CUSD 303.

Palacios has lived in the area for 17 years. He has two children in the school district.

“I do believe in public education. Also, I do have two children who attend the school district 303, and I am involved as a parent,” Palacios told the Kane County Reporter. “The communication between the school board and the parents needs to be improved and also the communication between the school and parents regarding activities inside schools. 

Palacios seeks to improve three things: safety, education, and taxes.

“When they did increase...they did a tax increase last year," he said. "How it was going to be increased – the taxes – needed to be communicated better. And now for all taxpayers and the school districts to know and participate, they did communicate, but not enough. Not exactly what is expected from the school board to the parents or the taxpayers.”

He also urged that “They need to communicate to other board members." These, according to Palacios should be applied to information on curriculum, "communication between all the stakeholders like parents, taxpayers and also taxpayers who do not have children in those jobs and other like businesses and people who work within the school premises.” Palacios aims to reduce the frequency and intensity of bullying behavior within the school premises. He also intends to ensure children's safety. 

“The other one is when they do activities within the like with the children, the children are going to watch videos or maybe going to watch and some other and the clips from any topics,  Parents need to communicate so they can see the video clips and they can see the content and they can choose and say, 'Oh, we don't want my child to be exposed to watch the other specific movie or clip,’” Palacios said. “I do have my two children in the same school district and they know what I am talking about. Taking my expertise in substance use disorder and mental health make[s] me more valuable when we talk about [a] decrease in bullying behavior and then the other safety issues. And then the other one is because I do work with different groups in my career. In my experience, I used to be president of [the] homeowners association. I used to be a member of a union executive board. I was like an advisory board for the legislator. And it does seem they do have experience working with group and negotiating.”

Palacios is seeking a four-year term in the April 4 election. He filed his candidacy in mid-December last year.

“I work as a Senior Public Service Administrator for the State of Illinois, Department of Human Services, in the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery. I am running as a candidate for a full 4-year term as a Saint Charles Community Unit School District 303 Board member. Hopefully, by the time you finish reading my mini-Autobiography, you will know more about me and the main campaign issues and believe I am qualified for one of the CUSD board vacancies,” Palacios’s website reads. “Born in Santa, Peru, South America. In order of birth, I was number six of seven (three brothers, three sisters). Raised mostly on a farm in an area named Lacramarca Baja. I have fun and loving memories of playing soccer with my siblings and riding donkeys and horses. It was not all fun and games though as I also endured hard labor when we had to help with planting and harvesting our crops (corn and beans).”

St Charles CUSD 303 includes 18 schools. Its headquarters is located at 201 S 7th St. in Saint Charles. The district has 770 employees and oversees 11,958 students. Its annual budget is over $224 million.