Former principal wins seat in District 301

Two incumbents won re-election in Central Unit District 301 Tuesday, but a longtime former educator in the district captured even more votes, according to unofficial totals.

Board President Rose Diaz, board member Gary Weigand, and Laura Rabe, a PTO president, were among the top four vote-getters in the race for four open seats.

Former Howard B. Thomas Grade School Principal Richard Perry, though, garnered the most votes with 613, or 18.5 percent.

David Maraccini, Tim Petsche and Rick Pryor rounded out the field.

Perry said he was gratified to earn the most votes — even though he had never served on the board.

“I had no expectations,” Perry said. “I told my wife, ‘If we’re in the top four, that’s great; if we’re not, that’s great.’”

The former principal attributed his win to the connections he made with parents and students during his 41 years as an educator in District 301.

“I hope that my background in education can be a springboard for being able to confront the academic issues that face the district,” Perry said.

The election in Central Unit District 301 played out against a dramatic backdrop, as the current board considered a plan to convert the district’s two middle schools into grade-level centers.

The plan was pushed back a year because of a last-minute deal that freezes teacher salaries next year.

Still, the new board members who are sworn in this spring will have to deal with the implications of the middle school reorganization, which some parents fear will provide fewer opportunities for their kids.