Six finalists chosen for District 303 school board vacancy

Six candidates have been chosen to interview for an empty seat on the St. Charles Unit District 303 school board.

Fourteen people applied for the position, which was vacated last month by longtime board member James Gaffney. School board members reviewed the applications and narrowed their search last week, according to a District 303 news release.

The six finalists were chosen based on community service, work experience, school district involvement and other various reasons, board President Kathy Hewell said in a statement. They include:

• Kellie Capps of St. Charles, president of the St. Charles Education Foundation board and a consultant at Higher Education Consulting

• District 303 parent Lara Kristofer, who lives in St. Charles and is vice president of the Lincoln Elementary School PTO

• Tim Mauntel of St. Charles, a retired medical sales professional

• Elburn resident Tom Mullally, District 303 Athletic Boosters president and owner of Barco Stamping, a metal fabrication business in Illinois and Arizona

• Scott Nowling of St. Charles, an executive district manager for Johnson & Johnson and a former District 303 school board member who served from 2007 to 2011

• St. Charles resident John Rothecker, a retired police officer with 32 years of law enforcement experience

Board members will interview each finalist beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday at the district's administration center, 201 S. 7th St. Another special meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. the following Tuesday to finalize deliberations, if necessary, and swear in the new board member, Hewell said.

"We are fortunate to have so many qualified community members who took the time to express an interest in serving on the school board," she said.

The appointee will serve until the April 2019 election, at which point voters will elect a candidate to serve the remaining two years of Gaffney's term, district spokeswoman Carol Smith said.