Bell, Fairgrieve, Lentz and Rich for St. Charles School District 303 board

Much has changed since the last time voters in St. Charles Unit School District 303 went to the polls to elect their board of education.

A superintendent less than a year into the job then is now settled in, bringing the energy, fresh ideas and strategies for which he was hired. A new long-term strategic plan is in place, as is a five-year budget outlook that, if not rare, is far from standard for school districts. And a long process to redraw school boundaries and make better use of facilities is complete.

With that as a backdrop, a trio of incumbents face several challengers for four board seats at stake in the April 1 election.

Given the district’s progress in recent years, we’re inclined to support the incumbents for reelection.

Kate Bell has been an active and dedicated public official in her first term on the board, acting as chair of several board committees, serving on the district’s cellphone advisory committee and participating in numerous other district initiatives.

She pledges to let data and evidence inform her decisions, and hopes to tackle the sometimes overlooked issue of student classroom behavior in the post-pandemic era.

Heidi Fairgrieve, if reelected, would become the longest-serving member of the board. Her institutional knowledge would be an asset for her less-experienced colleagues, as would her experience in banking and finance.

We also appreciate her ideas that the district leverage its status as a K-12 district to create logical and seamless students not just from one grade to the next, but one type of school to the next.

Thomas Lentz, currently the board vice president, helped push for the creation of a five-year budget outlook which, as he told us, puts the district in position to make thoughtful spending decisions in advance.

Each of the challengers who took part in our endorsement process proved to be thoughtful and well-intentioned candidates, but two stood out for their educational experience and insight.

Both former educators — and both endorsed by District 303 teachers — Kimberly Rich and Jenna Hancock each would bring firsthand knowledge of the classroom and a student-focused approach to the board. Both have good ideas about

We give Rich a slight nod, both for her experience in working in the district and because, like her, we see the value of having a resident of the district’s east side on the board.

Also running are Elias Palacios and Antonietta Berton-Nicklaus.

We endorse Bell, Fairgrieve, Lentz and Rich.