New Dist. 57 board member brings business skills to post

Jennifer Kobus said that when she and her husband were in the market for a new home nine years ago, there was only one area under consideration.

"I wanted to be in (Mount Prospect Elementary) District 57," she said. "I'd done my homework, and I loved what the schools were doing, what the curriculum was like."

Today, Kobus is a happy District 57 resident with three children in its schools. She's also, as of Feb. 27, the newest member of the school board.

Kobus was appointed to the position to fill the vacancy created when Sann Knipple resigned in January.

"I've been involved in the schools for awhile now, and I thought this was an opportunity to do even more," Kobus said. "I'm very honored to have been given this position."

Kobus, a Chicago native, has a bachelor's degree in education from DePaul University and a master's degree in business management from Roosevelt University. She is the director of logistics and distribution for a Chicago-area automotive products company.

Her educational and professional experience give her skills that will be valuable on the school board, Kobus said.

"I have experience with project management, with multimillion-dollar budgets," she said. "And I have a solid foundation in education. I plan to put all my skills to work for the district."

Kobus said she's particularly eager to help with the district's overall communication with the community.

"We need to make sure that we're reaching out not just to the parents of our students, but to everyone in District 57," she said.

Kobus will fill out the remainder of Knipple's term, which ends in April 2015.