Dist. 33 appoints educator to school board

West Chicago Elementary District 33 officials have appointed a local educator to fill a vacant seat on the school district's board.

Brenda Vishanoff, who serves as the director of admissions for Wheaton Academy in West Chicago, will fill the seat vacated by school board member Martin Swinney earlier this year.

Swinney, who served on the District 33 school board since August 2005, resigned in May to take a job in Florida.

Brenda Vishanoff was one of five applicants for the seat, which expires in April 2009.

"She's very involved in the school system and has kids coming up through the district," school board President Dave Barclay said. "She's very familiar with public education … and the board felt she was the most qualified."

Vishanoff, who was unable to be reached for comment on Tuesday, has taught at Wheaton Academy for the last 12 years. She has a background in music education.

Last year, Vishanoff worked with district parents and staff to create a parent-teacher organization at the district's early learning center. She also was named the newly minted organization's first president.

She has lived in West Chicago for the past nine years with her husband and three children.

Her daughter Rebekah and son Joshua both are enrolled in the district's dual language program at Gary Elementary School.