Our choice for Lombard District 44 school board

This endorsement is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.

Four candidates are running for three seats on the Lombard Elementary District 44 school board.

Incumbents Stephen E. Flint, Gayln Piper and Tony del Alcazar are facing newcomer Jeff Hansel for a 4-year seat.

Piper, of Lombard, was appointed to the board in 2018. After a year, she was elected to a 4-year seat in 2019. Two of her children attend District 44 schools, and she describes herself as someone who cares deeply about the well-being of the schools. She appreciates the diversity in Lombard and in District 44, so children are not raised in homogeneous communities.

As a current board member, Piper is working on building back district programs that suffered during the pandemic. She deserves the chance to see those programs come back better and stronger.

We see Piper as a strong candidate whose desire to serve District 44 and its students is apparent when talking to her. She understands how to effectively work as a team and keep the best interest of the students in mind when making a collaborative decision. She is dedicated to district programs that serve the students well, and she is an advocate for student-led project learning. Piper is endorsed.

Flint, del Alcazar and Hansel did not participate in our endorsement interview process.