After voters choose different direction for District 158 board, members select new president

Paul Troy – the longest-serving member on the Huntley Unit District 158 school board – has been elected to serve as the board’s president following a shift on the board in the April 1 election.

Troy, who has served on the board since 2009, was reelected last month with fellow incumbent Sean Cratty. They were sworn in on April 29 with former board member Melissa Maiorino and newcomers Andrew Fekete and Rich Bobby.

Board members Andy Bittman and Laura Murray were the board president and vice president, respectively, heading into the April 29 meeting.

“Andy’s leadership has been second to none,” Murray said, adding that Bittman led with “unwavering integrity, not emotion.”

Murray said Bittman was “instrumental” in the current teachers union contract and that his leadership was “central” to hiring Superintendent Jessica Lombard.

“If we change course now, we risk undoing the progress we’ve made,” Murray said. She said a “no” vote would indicate disagreement with the district’s direction, which she said “many of us strongly support.”

Bittman, who seconded his own nomination, and Murray were the only “yes” votes – not enough to reinstall Bittman as president.

When Troy was nominated for president, Troy abstained, Murray and Bittman voted “no,” and the rest of the board voted “yes.”

Cratty was elected vice president in another vote opposed by Bittman and Murray.

Maiorino, who was back on the board after losing reelection in 2023, was elected secretary. All of the board except Maiorino, who abstained, voted for her.

Outgoing board members Anthony Quagliano and Michael Thompson didn’t run for reelection, and Dana Wiley lost to Fekete in her bid to finish her term.

Maiorino was on the board from 2019 to 2023 but was ousted when a slate consisting of Bittman, Murray, Thompson and Gina Galligar took over the board’s majority. That slate ran on issues including lowering the tax rate, emphasizing test scores and removing what they felt was political content from classrooms. Many of the members of that slate had opposed COVID-19-era restrictions such as mask mandates.

The board members who won in this year’s election had the backing of the teachers union and a grassroots group called “Candidates for All Kids” that sought a different direction for the board.