Incumbent, two newcomers elected to District 56 board

Voters returned incumbent James Blockinger to the Gurnee Elementary District 56 board Tuesday, also electing newcomers Mark Pos and Odie Pahl to 4-year terms.

With all 18 precincts reporting as well as early-voting and mail-in ballots counted, unofficial results show Blockinger with 1,275 votes, Pahl with 1,179 votes and Pos with 1.161 votes. Lynn Schroetter lost the four-way race with 1,022 votes.

Blockinger, a retired school superintendent with 30 years of education experience, was first elected to the District 56 board in 2004 and has served as board president.

Pos is widely known in the Gurnee area as Warren Township High School’s athletic director. Pahl is a recently retired District 56 school secretary. Schroetter is an intern and development program manager.

Primary election issues included District 56’s initiative to provide students with iPads, and the candidates’ commitments to a balanced budget without staff or program reductions.