Endorsements: DeLaRosa, Kenwood, Vera for Glenbard Dist. 87

Inclusion, succession planning, rigorous academics and a fiscally sound budget are top goals of the four candidates vying for three 4-year seats on the Glenbard High School District 87 school board.

Incumbent Margaret DeLaRosa, a business analyst who has chaired the Dist. 87 finance committee since 2017, has a sound understanding of the district's five-year rolling financial plan to prudently manage resources. She says succession planning and preparing for future staff changes are critical.

Mireya Vera, Director of Community Relations and System Interpreter Services at Sinai Health Systems, was appointed to the board in December 2018. A former teacher, she has encouraged students to become interpreters for their parents and would like to see the addition of trade classes focusing on green construction and climate change.

Newcomer John Kenwood, a vice president at Capgemini Consulting, boasts a solid resume: He spent 10 years on the Dist. 41 board where he served as president and vice president and most recently four years as a Glen Ellyn trustee. In Dist. 41, he worked on finances, curriculum, negotiating teacher contracts, and recruiting and hiring a new superintendent.

Incumbent Martha Mueller, a TSA officer at O'Hare, says her priority is school safety.

While all candidates agree they'd like the board to focus on providing more support and programs for workforce-bound students and those with special needs, we endorse DeLaRosa, Kenwood and Vera for their strong forward-thinking goals.