Veteran Des Plaines District 62 board member stepping down

A veteran Des Plaines School District 62 board member is stepping down, creating a vacancy on the seven-member panel.

Beth Morley will resign effective May 15 because of growing professional and family obligations. Morley called the decision to leave the board “very difficult.”

The school board will appoint a District 62 resident to finish Morley’s current term, which expires in spring 2027.

Morley first was elected to the board in 2015 after years as a community volunteer. Most recently, she was reelected to a 4-year term in 2023.

Serving the district has been an honor, Morley said. She cited navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, completing several strategic plans and overseeing the hiring of multiple superintendents — most recently Michael Amadei in 2022 — among the highlights of her tenure.

When Morley initially ran for the board, offering full-day kindergarten in addition to half-day sessions was one of her goals. That’s set to begin this summer for the 2026-27 term, one year ahead of a state mandate. Morley called that “very satisfying.”

Amadei called Morley “a passionate advocate for education and a voice for the staff and families of District 62.”

“I will miss her thoughtful leadership and wish her all the best in this next chapter,” he said through a spokesperson.

People interested in the soon-to-open board seat should send a letter of interest and a recent resume to board secretary Marielle Metoyer at Des Plaines School District 62, 777 E. Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016 by April 17. A letter and resume also can be sent via email by the same date to metoyerm@d62.org.

Interviews will occur on April 20 at Forest Elementary School, 1375 Fifth Ave., Des Plaines.

To qualify, an applicant must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a District 62 resident for at least one year and a registered voter, among other restrictions.

For more information on the application process, visit d62.org.