Filing opens in Fox Valley school districts
School board elections across the Fox Valley are wide open after the first day of filing Tuesday with new candidates set to take on a number of incumbents in the April 7 election.
Tuesday was the first day candidates could file petitions for school board races as district offices were closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Candidates have until 5 p.m., Monday Jan. 26 to file signature petitions.
District 300
Four candidates filed for three seats for Community Unit District 300 school board Tuesday morning: board Vice President Karen Roeckner, Secretary Anne Miller, former board member Dave Alessio and Community Finance Committee member Robert Lee.
One seat will be vacated by Mary Warren, who has said she will not seek re-election.
Only two of three candidates from Dundee Township - Alessio, Lee and Roeckner - can be elected because board President Joe Stevens is also from Dundee Township. No more than three board members can be elected from the same township in District 300.
U-46
Three, four-year school board seats are up for election on board of Elgin Area School District U-46. Incumbent Dale Spencer, of Bartlett, was the only incumbent to file Tuesday. Newcomers Gary Percy, of Elgin, a longtime member of the district's citizens advisory committee, and Ed Stade of Bartlett, president of South Elgin High School's booster club and owner of Stade Homes, both filed for the April 7 election Tuesday.
District 158
Only three people have filed to run for five open seats on the Huntley Unit District 158 school board.
Board Secretary Kim Skaja and incumbent Larry Snow are seeking re-election. They will face a challenge from Lake in the Hills parent Paul Troy, who in 2007 applied for the vacant seat filled by former board President Mike Skala.
Skaja filed for a four-year term, while Snow and Troy filed for both a four-year and a two-year term.
Skala has said he will seek re-election but has not yet filed to get on the April ballot.
Board President Shawn Green has not filed petitions and was undecided about a re-election bid last week.
Grafton Township Trustee Rob LaPorta has taken out petitions for his candidacy but has not yet filed. LaPorta, who is up for re-election to the township board, said last week he was undecided.
One of the five open seats will be vacated by board Vice President Tony Quagliano, who said last week he would not seek re-election.
District 26
In Cary Elementary District 26, six people filed for five open seats. Incumbents Dave Ruelle, Julie Jette, Craig Loew and Chris Jenner are looking to retain their seats. They will be joined on the ballot by newcomers Christopher Spoerl and Vicki Pesch. There are four four-year terms and one two-year term available.
District 155
The race for a seat on the Crystal Lake High School District 155 school board is already crowded with five people vying for four spots. Incumbents Ted Wagner, Dave Secrest, Ann Somers and Gary Oberg filed petitions Tuesday. Paul Roth emerged as the lone challenger.
District 47
Candidates for four seats on the Crystal Lake Elementary District 47 school board include one incumbent and one challenger. So far, Virginia Viscin is the lone incumbent to file a petition, while Rob Routzahn is the first challenger. The terms of Viscin, Diane Johnson, Fred Fitzpatrick and Ruth Scifo expire in April.
Elgin Community College
Voters will have a choice for who will occupy the one seat available on the ECC board. The term of Robert Getz is up for grabs, and so far two candidates have emerged: Donna Redmer of West Dundee and Richard Green of Elgin.
McHenry County College
With two seats open on the McHenry County College board, Ronald Parrish is hoping to unseat one of the incumbents. Current board members Mary Miller and Frances Glosson have yet to secure their spots on the April ballot.
District 3
No petitions were filed Tuesday for the four open seats on the Fox River Grove Elementary District 3 school board. The terms of Pat Hughes, Steve Knar. Lisa Anderson and Kris Germain end in April.
Daily Herald Staff Writers Jameel Naqvi and Kerry Lester contributed to this report.