Dist. 220 board welcomes two, says goodbye to two others

Michael Shackleton and Gavin Newman were sworn in as the two newest members of the Barrington Area Unit School District 220 board Tuesday night. The board also bade farewell to two outgoing members.

Both Wendy Farley, who decided not to seek re-election, and Christopher Geier, who came up just short in his re-election bid, ended up serving just one term on the board - but it was an eventful four years.

The meeting was an opportunity to reflect on all they were part of in that time, including changing the academic calendar, implementing the full-day kindergarten program, establishing the free laptop and iPad program for students, hiring Superintendent Brian Harris and approving new start times at the schools.

"It's obvious we're going to have a big hole to fill by the two guys in the back, so get your big shoes on," board member Joe Ruffolo said.

At Tuesday night's meeting, the board approved the final vote count for the tightly contested April election that lead to Shackleton and Newman's ascension to the board. Incumbent Penny Kazmier came in first with 3,216 votes, Shackleton received 2,543 votes, incumbent Sandra Ficke-Bradford received 2,525 votes and Newman had 2,429, edging out Geier, who had 2,331 votes.

Geier said he ran for the board to lend his experience to District 220 and because he wanted his children to see him give back in a meaningful way.

"I hope the district has benefited from my work as much as I have from being part of it," Geier said. "There is no greater privilege then being given the public's trust."

Farley said she is grateful for her time on the board and said she is planning on going back to work. Farley said she told one of her three sons she'd likely go back to being a lawyer, news that disappointed him.

"He said, 'Oh, that's so boring, do something very fun like work at McDonald's or go be a bartender because I think you would really enjoy that,'" Farley said as the crowd laughed. "So who knows, in my next adventure you may come see me when you go get a Big Mac or a glass of wine."

Also at the meeting the new board elected to keep board members Brian Battle as president, Kazmier as vice president and Ficke-Bradford as secretary.

Shackleton nominated board member Angela Wilcox to be the new board's vice president, but Wilcox declined.