District 300 board names Plaza to vacant seat
The Community Unit District 300 school board on Thursday picked a longtime parent volunteer and former district employee to fill the board seat vacated by John Ryan over a two-term board member also vying for the seat.
Karen Plaza of Lake in the Hills will be sworn in to fill the vacancy on June 14. After deliberating for more than hour behind closed doors, the board picked Plaza over eight other candidates - including Mary Warren, who served on the board from 2001 to 2009.
Plaza has served on eight pro-tax increase committees in District 300 and worked for the district as a teacher's aide and accountant from 1998 to 2007.
She said her financial and school district experience will help her make decisions as the board grapples with millions in budget cuts.
"I think I have that perspective of an entire school district," Plaza said. "Having seen three (school districts), I think that's an advantage."
Plaza is director of finance for Crystal Lake Elementary District 47. She is the wife of Lake in the Hills Village President Ed Plaza and the mother of two Jacobs High School graduates.
Plaza was pleasantly surprised to learn of the board's decision.
"I'm very surprised," Plaza said. "I really thought they were going to with someone more closely aligned with John Ryan."
Ryan resigned last month after accepting a job that requires him to spend considerable time overseas.
The nine other people who submitted applications for the seat are: Christopher J. Adkins, Vinod and Kalpana Aggarwal, Stephen J. Fiorentino, John R. Messina, Leslie Russo, Bob Sharp, Krena Barbara Signorini and Frederic Steinhaus.
Adkins withdrew his name before Thursday's interviews. The board eliminated Steinhaus from consideration because he does not live in Algonquin Township, as required under board rules, board President Joe Stevens said.
The board interviewed the nine remaining candidates at a public meeting Thursday, deliberating in closed session before voting unanimously to appoint Plaza.
Plaza will serve until spring 2011, when she will have to seek election if she wishes to remain on the board.