U-46 board seats new officers
On Monday, the Elgin Area School District U-46 board seated its newest members: Traci O’Neal Ellis and Jennifer Shroder.
The board also voted on new officers, electing Donna Smith president, Amy Kerber vice president and O’Neal Ellis secretary pro tem.
The board said its goodbyes to departing President Ken Kaczynski, 20-year board member Karen Carney and student trustee Nasir Almasri.
Kaczynski, Carney and Almasri were presented with plaques honoring their service on the board; a reception was held before the meeting.
Scholars honored: This week, the Rotary Club of Elgin honored 369 students from seven area high schools during the club’s 83rd academic awards luncheon at Judson University.The students were honored for receiving straight A#146;s in 2010.About 550 people attended in all, including parents, teachers, principals and local business leaders.AP tests begin: One of my favorite classes in high school was Advanced Placement European History with Mr. Brenner.No doubt terms like the #147;Treaty of Westphalia,#148; #147;Cardinal Richelieu#148; and #147;Talleyrand#148; were swirling around in my brain this time of year, some years ago.Local high-schoolers started their AP exams this week. After that the real fun begins i.e. #147;Elizabeth: The Golden Age#148; and the Harry Potter films.Best of luck to them.ECC deal set for vote: The Elgin Community College faculty contract is edging slowly toward ratification.The faculty union is scheduled to vote on the agreement, struck after a marathon bargaining session last month, on Sunday, May 15.I noted in a recent column that the public should have an opportunity to review at least the salient points of the contract before it goes to a final vote.But that applies equally to the rank-and-file members of the union. No doubt the instructors, who will be most affected by the contract, want to fully vet the document before voting for it.Yet it isn#146;t clear whether they will have that opportunity or whether they will be forced to rely on their leadership#146;s representation of the document.Unions have elections too, right?