School Board Candidates
A total of 21 candidates have filed paperwork for Naperville School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 school board elections. District 203 has nine candidates, including incumbents Kristin Fitzgerald who is the current board president, current vice president Donna Wandke, and board member Charles Cush. New candidates looking to fill one of the four open spots are Amanda McMillen, Christi Helm, Thomas Andrew Binkowski, Robert M. Reed, Adam Russo, and Bill Eagan. Current board member Paul Leong’s term expires in 2021, but he is not running for reelection.
District 204 has 11 candidates for four open spots including incumbent board members Laurie Donahue and Susan Taylor-Demming. New candidates are Marina Kosak, Saba Haider, Allison Fosdick, Rajesh Narayan, Kader Sakkaria, Supna C. Jain, Shannon Adcock, Yanmei May Liang, and Robert O. Harris. Current board president Michael Raczack’s and board member Cathy Piehl’s terms expire in 2021 but they are not running for reelection. Elected candidates will serve a four-year term. The consolidated election will be held April 6, 2021.
D203 Transition to Hybrid
District 203 is still on track to transition to hybrid learning for all students starting the week of January 25. Early childhood IEP students have already been receiving some in-person instruction and starting January 15 their time in school will increase to four days a week. Preschool For All will begin an alternating day hybrid schedule the week of January 19. Community early childhood students will begin a hybrid schedule the week of January 25. All elementary school students will transition to an a.m./p.m. schedule the week of January 25.
Junior high and high school students will also begin hybrid learning that week with an A/B block schedule. At both school levels, groups A and B will have in-person learning on two back-to-back days, with Group A in Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Group B on Thursdays and Fridays. Mondays will be eLearning days for all grade levels. Families have an option to remain in full remote learning.
D203 Tax Levy
At last night’s meeting the board also approved its 2020 tax levy. The request is for around $257 million. While the school district portion of most home tax bills will increase by around 2.3% if the levy is abated, an average homeowner with an assessed value of $410,000 would see a decrease of about $100 if their home did not change in assessed value. If the levy is not abated, most homes’ tax bills will increase by around 3.4% which means an average homeowner with an assessed value of $410,000 would see an increase of about $20 if their home did not change in assessed value. The board will make a final decision on the abatement in March.
“Band-Aid Bash” Donation
15-year-old Naperville resident, Rachel Boudeman, delivered hundreds of fun Band-Aids, toys, and over $500 worth of gift cards to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. This is part of her annual “Band-Aid Bash,” to collect donated Band-Aids and toys for children at the hospital, after being a patient herself when she was two years old. Boudeman has coordinated the bash since she was nine years old.
