Voters back incumbents for U-46 school board

Aging schools, student achievement, the transition to a full middle school model and the search for a new superintendent are among the key issues facing a new Elgin Area School District U-46 school board.

Six candidates sought election to four 4-year terms on the school board.

Unofficial vote totals Wednesday showed voters backed incumbents Susan Kerr, who currently serves as school board president, with 10,471 votes and Kate Thommes with 10,344 votes. Chanda Schwartz and Samreen Khan received 8,368 and 8,229 votes, respectively.

Unofficial vote tallies showed Maureen Morris and Heather LH Manzella trailing with 7,262 and 6,502 votes, respectively.

As the state's second-largest school district, U-46 serves 11 communities in Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. More than 35,000 preschool through 12th grade students attend 57 district schools and programs.

The new school board will be hiring the district's next superintendent and will have to deal with addressing the district's aging schools, some of which date back to the 1800s.