Endorsements: Hineman, Palmer, Walker, Younger for Dist. 214 school board

The race for four seats on the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 school board features eight candidates, six of them newcomers, seeking four available positions. Usually, such numbers indicate a district beset with controversy or financial trouble that attract a field of angry reformers. But none of those circumstances applies in District 214.

Far from being in an era of controversy, the district is attracting positive nationwide attention for its superintendent's Redefining Ready initiative aimed at reforming the way schools assess student achievement. Far from being in financial trouble, the district has a healthy balance sheet and, but for some of the state funding uncertainties confronting all school districts, a healthy outlook for the foreseeable future. And far from being angry one-issue reformers, almost all of the candidates for school board are constructive, engaged, articulate citizens with few complaints and much to offer.

We say "almost" all because candidate Richard Hamen did not complete our questionnaire or respond to requests for an interview, but the remaining seven candidates each have extremely positive qualities to recommend them for service on the District 214 school board. Kevin Lindell, of Mount Prospect, is an insurance executive and previous school board candidate with two children currently attending Dist. 214 schools, with a seventh grader to follow soon. Frank Biga, of Arlington Heights, is a high school economics teacher with a strong background in finance. Millie Palmer, an attorney from Arlington Heights, has been active as a volunteer with both athletics and dance programs at Rolling Meadows High School. Ben Scherr, of Buffalo Grove, has experience helping college students with career development. Leonard "Lenny" Walker, is a floral-company executive from Wheeling who has been active in numerous programs at Wheeling High School, including reviving the school's Parent Teacher Organization. Mark Hineman, an engineer from Mount Prospect, is an incumbent who has served on the board since 2009, and Todd Younger, of Arlington Heights, is the board's current vice president and a trustee since 2011.

This is a remarkable group of knowledgeable, engaged candidates, all of whom are intimately familiar not just with individual schools but with the district as a whole. Each has some unique strength to offer the board. Incumbents Hineman and Younger come to the race with a clear record of success. After them, we find ourselves drawn to Palmer and Walker. The energy they have devoted to District 214 is extensive, and they approach issues with a personal independence that can dispel misgivings about whether they'll be rubber stamps for the slate they joined with Hineman and Younger. If she wins, Palmer would be one of just two women on the District 214 board, and Walker's business background is an added plus for him. We're impressed by all seven of the active candidates for District 214 school board, and whoever wins, we hope they all remain involved with district business. But for this election, we endorse Hineman, Palmer, Walker and Younger.