New state lawmaker DeLaRosa to remain on Glenbard school board

Newly appointed state Rep. Margaret DeLaRosa is staying on the Glenbard District 87 school board as she serves in the legislature.

DeLaRosa, however, has resigned from her role as school board president.

In the Illinois House, DeLaRosa replaces Terra Costa Howard, a Glen Ellyn Democrat who resigned from the 42nd District seat to become a DuPage County Circuit Court judge.

DeLaRosa has been on the Glenbard school board since 2015. She won another 4-year term this past April. Only one other board member — Martha Mueller — has as long a tenure.

The district, meanwhile, has a new superintendent. After 13 years at the helm, David Larson retired this summer. Jessica Santee, most recently the principal of Glenbard South High School, took over as superintendent in July.

“I will remain in place as a board member to support Jessica in her new role and because I really respect the work that we do,” DeLaRosa said, adding that she wants “there to be stability” moving forward.

She was appointed to the state House earlier this month by a committee consisting of DuPage County Democratic Party Chair Reid McCollum; Dyan Page, chair of the York Township Democratic Organization; and Dennis Terdy, former chair of the Democratic Party of Milton Township.

At the most-recent school board meeting, members accepted her resignation as the panel’s president.

“But I want to say to all of you as I step back from this role, it has been an honor for me to be here and for you to have entrusted in me the leadership of the district,” DeLaRosa said. “We have done some great things.”

The board chose Hetal Lee to succeed DeLaRosa as president. Lee has been on the board since 2023. The board also appointed Jay Bastian to the position of vice president.