Former foundation head appointed to Dist. 15 board

The former head of the Palatine Township Elementary District 15 Educational Foundation has been tapped to fill a vacancy on the school board.

The District 15 school board spent the better part of Saturday interviewing 14 applicants for the opening before voting 4 to 2 to appoint David Seiffert, of Palatine, to replace Mark Bloom. Bloom, elected to the board in 2009, resigned earlier this month citing new job responsibilities. It was too late for the remainder of his term, which has more than two years to run, to be filled in the April election.

“We had some very outstanding candidates; we could only appoint one,” school board President Gerald Chapman said.

Chapman, Dr. James Ekeberg, Peggy Babcock and Richard Bokor support Seiffert’s appointment; Tim Millar and Sue Quinn voted against it.

“He is familiar with the district; he’s obviously committed,” Chapman said.

Seiffert headed the district’s fundraising arm for two years and currently serves as a vice president for the Jane Addams PTA, where his two children attend school. He also sits on the Palatine Plan Commission.

Seiffert is one of six candidates for the three four-year seats on the ballot in April. He said he plans to remain on the April ballot and he looks at this appointment as a chance to jump-start his involvement. He will be sworn in at the Feb. 9 board meeting,

“I’m very excited about this,” he said. “I will come in and listen to all opinions and work toward consensus. I’m excited to lend my hand to the kids of District 15, to help out in any way I can.”

Should Seiffert win a four-year seat in April, the board will look appoint someone to again fill out the remainder of Bloom’s post.

“I hope some of the people we talked to today continue to take an interest in the district,” Chapman said.