Campton Hills incorporation affects St. Charles school booard

The St. Charles school board can broaden its search for a new member, thanks to the recent incorporation of Campton Hills.

Approved by voters in April, the incorporation gave District 303 enough incorporated land to elect leaders at large, officials said Tuesday.

School code previously required at least two members of the seven-member panel to live in unincorporated areas, based on the district's ratio of incorporated-to-unincorporated land.

The change wasn't expected to matter until the next board election in the spring of 2009, but came to light after Chris Hansen's resignation last week.

Board hopefuls interested in replacing Hansen can apply through Aug. 22 by mailing or delivering a resume and letter of interest to board secretary Kathy Bowling at the District 303 Administrative Center, 201 S. Seventh St., St. Charles, IL 60174.

Applicants must be registered to vote and at least 18 years old. They also must have lived in District 303 for at least one year.

The board plans to meet in open session Aug. 27 to review applications, develop interview questions and decide how many applicants to screen. Interviews will take place in open session Aug. 29 and 30, with the appointment of a new member shortly thereafter, officials said.

The board has 30 days from Hansen's resignation last Wednesday to fill the seat. The appointment would last until the spring of 2009.

Board President Kathy Hewell said the board is looking for candidates who will "work collaboratively" with other members.

District 303 includes St. Charles and parts of South Elgin, West Chicago, Wayne and Campton Hills.