What previous experiences or qualifications will you bring into the role of a school board member?
In-Township (Vote for 2)
Max McComb: I have served on the M-S Board of Education for 14 years. After being appointed in 2007 I have been re-elected by the public three times. In 2015 my fellow board members chose me to be Board President and have continued to vote me to that position for each of the past six years.
I helped guide the district through the State of Illinois emergency budget cuts that blindsided schools in 2010 and the subsequent additional cuts the following years, then worked hard as part of the effort to restore the district to a sound financial position. I played a significant role in the hiring of our last two Superintendents and in the past six contract negotiations with the MSEA. I have been involved in multiple major district projects, including: major district tech upgrades and the 1:1 initiative for student devices, Band and Chorus room addition to the Junior High, upgrades to Lincoln Trail including central air-conditioning, renovations to the central core of the High School, the purchase of the east campus, the construction of MPE phases 1 & 2, and the recent upgrades to the Field House. When I came on the board in 2007 the district was not regularly on the Illinois Top 50 list. Over the following several years as the board worked to support student learning and our staff, Mahomet-Seymour became a regular on the Top 50 list. In recent years the district has consistently been ranked the #1 or the #2 district in downstate Illinois.
Laura Lang: I bring to the board both in-classroom and education administrative experience, as well Special Education paraprofessional experience. My current position at the University of Illinois as a department scheduler and educational administrator allows me to understand how scheduling creatively can alleviate an overtaxed building capacity and overly large class sizes. I have served on a number of boards and committees over the years, most recently in facility management and safety, and COVID response.
My 18 years of not-for-profit work, both stateside and internationally, has allowed me to see many cultures, understanding unique approaches within education, leadership, and collaboration. My training as a cultural specialist allows me to build consensus in difficult situations and to see nuances that others might not typically notice. I also come with the perspectives of both growing up in the community and return as a “new” parent to the district with bi-lingual, cross-cultural students.
Rebecca Richardson: I am currently a renewable energy consultant working for various clients as a technical and regulatory training specialist. My formal education includes a bachelor’s degree in music education and master’s degree in Administrative, Higher and Continuing Education from the University of Illinois. I have never strayed far from teaching, but nearly all of my career has involved teaching and training adult learners through association programs and management.
I am currently in my third year of five serving as a board member for the National Conference on Weights and Measures and have worked as a staff person for a number of volunteer boards. Through these experiences, I have gained a healthy perspective of the roles of both board members and the staff with which they work.
I spent many hours volunteering and participating in school activities when my children were in school in Mahomet, and my husband is a retired music educator, having spent most of his career teaching in Champaign schools. While I knew several teachers during the kids’ school years from 1990 through 2013, I no longer have children or relatives in the school district, so I have no personal or specific biases, only a deep passion for quality education for all students.
Sunny McMurry: My life experiences as an educator at the elementary level, advanced degrees in curriculum and instruction and educational administration, along with experience in higher education working with pre-service teachers have all allowed me to have a deep understanding of how public education in the state of Illinois actually functions. As a currently practicing public educator, I would be able to bring the perspective of a teacher (and specialist) to board conversations regarding policies and resources. In order to move a school district forward and promote positive collaboration, a variety of perspectives and experiences are necessary. While I would never assume the voice of the teachers in the Mahomet-Seymour School District, I would instead be able to share questions and ideas from an understanding of what is actually allowed and possible in public schools. As a basic example, I often hear people complain about school lunches and wonder why the district isn’t offering healthy, organic options. The reality is that because of the way lunches are funded, the district only has so much authority over that piece of schooling. I would also be able to share thoughts from my own experiences working with diverse learners in a neighboring district as we work toward equity and inclusion.
As a lifelong educator, I have first-hand knowledge of public school systems in Illinois. These experiences will obviously bring a perspective of what is actually feasible for teachers and appropriate for students when considering policies and governance. Beyond these teaching experiences, I have worked closely with not-for-profit organizations, serving as President of the Junior League of Champaign- Urbana and now volunteering with Girl Scouts of Central Illinois with my youngest daughter’s troop. These experiences have allowed me the ability to work alongside others from different backgrounds and histories to strive toward a common goal.
Out-of-Township (Vote for 1)
Patrick MacKay: Today, I am the Chief Operating Officer of Runtime Verification, Inc., an Urbana-based technology services provider that works with clients across the globe and employs 18 persons in the United States and 13 more in Europe. I am responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company. Prior to Runtime, I was the founding Director of the Capital One Illinois Digital Campus Lab in the University of Illinois Research Park, and the President of 004 Technologies USA, a mobile commerce subsidiary of a German eCommerce services firm. I’ve led diverse teams. I’ve prepared and managed budgets. I’ve built consensus across dissenting voices. I’ve found and fought for the middle ground. I’ve compromised for the greater good.
Justin Lamb: My experience of running a small service business in our community. Along with my business partner, I have had the opportunity to work with many great people. My job begins with meeting and listening to our customers ideas. From there, I collaborate with all parties involved giving them an honest assessment based on my knowledge of all the moving parts and pieces. Some of which they may not be aware of It often means starting with a plan, communicating, making adjustments and deciding the best way to move forward. I have also served on the Mahomet-Seymour Baseball Club Board as Vice President, served on the facilities team at Grace Church and hold a degree in Business Management.
