Other than new student trustee, U-46 board doesn't change

Except for one fresh face, Elgin Area School District U-46 board members' seats and roles will remain exactly the same as they have for the past several years.

The three incumbents narrowly re-elected by voters April 7 were sworn in for new terms Monday, as was the district's first student board member.

Dale Spencer, Donna Smith and Joyce Fountain defeated Gary Percy, an aircraft maintenance technician from Elgin, a member of the district's Citizens Advisory Council since 2004; 21-year-old Kevin Echevarria, who owns and manages Elgin's Delicia Tropical Cafe and Ed Stade of Bartlett, the owner of Stade Homes. Their terms run through 2013.

Spencer, a mortgage consultant from Bartlett, received the largest share of votes from the district, which spans three counties and 11 communities. He was first elected to the board in 2005.

Smith, of Hanover Park, has served on the board since 2001.

Fountain, of Elgin, is a professor at Elgin Community College. She has served on the board since 1993.

How to deal with shortfalls in state funding and a rise in home foreclosures were some of the major issues during the race.

Raising test scores to meet No Child Left Behind bench marks and views on settling the pending racial bias lawsuit - worth $6.7 million or more - also were hot topics.

Board President Ken Kaczynski applauded voters for having the confidence to place the trio of incumbents in office again.

For the next year, board members also will keep their current roles.

Kaczynski was re-elected to serve as the board's President. Smith was re-elected to serve as Vice President. District legal counsel Pat Broncato will serve as secretary; Amy Kerber as Secretary Pro-tempore. Outgoing Chief Financial Officer John Prince will serve as treasurer.

The new face on the board is Andrew Boston, a junior at South Elgin High, who was recommended by his peers to serve a one-year term as the district's first student board member.

"You can rest assured you'll know where he'll be on Monday night," Kaczynski told Boston's parents.

Boston's duties are slightly different from those of the elected board members. He is unable to vote, but can make recommendations to the board.

"With that we can now get to work. Feel free to speak up, Andrew, anytime," Kacyznski advised Boston.