Endorsements: Weidman, Lacroix, Mack, Schmidt for District 46 school board

Lake County voters on April 6 will be choosing from five candidates to fill four 4-year seats for Community Consolidated School District 46.

Incumbents Jim Weidman, Jason Lacroix and Stephen Mack are on the ballot along with Andrew Schmidt and Michelle Elise Anderson.

Weidman, Lacroix and Mack were members of the group that worked together with Superintendent Lynn Glickman and district staff when the pandemic began. Most students had already been issued Chromebooks and the board quickly got laptops to the youngest grades to allow virtual learning.

School board President Weidman, a battalion chief for the Grayslake Fire Department, has served on the school board since 2013. With an eye on the state budget, Weidman said he's concerned with keeping the district fiscally responsible after the students return to in-person learning. He and his three children attend or are graduates of the district.

Vice president Mack, an alumnus of District 46 with children in the district, was appointed to the board in 2016 and elected in 2017. A teacher at Wauconda High School, his education background gives him a unique understanding of the system. Mack was a founding member of the Equity Committee before he served on the board and said moving forward he will focus on equity and inclusion in the schools.

Lacroix is seeking a second term on the board. Also an alumnus of the district with children attending District 46 schools, Lacroix said he is proud of the board's response when the COVID-19 crisis began. He works as a finance manager and said he is concerned with keeping teachers' salaries competitive with neighboring schools even though the District 46, in a heavily residential area, doesn't have as much tax revenue.

Weidman, Lacroix and Mack would benefit the district by continuing the work they have done. They should be reelected.

Schmidt, an IT project manager, is pursuing his first elected office. He said a motivation for running is his concern for keeping schools strong amid a threat of privatization negatively affecting public education. His children are graduates of District 46. He has a background in science and feels it's important for students to be educated about climate change. He should be elected.

Anderson did not respond to requests to discuss her candidacy making it impossible to endorse her.

We endorse Weidman, Lacroix, Mack and Schmidt for District 46 school board.