Newly Elected SD161 Board Members Prepare for Terms

It's not an overstatement to say that tension--and at times, tempers--has run high during recent board meetings for Summit Hill School District 161. 

Board members have heatedly argued over , a raise for district administrators and . Last week, board members Mary Kenny and Ken Balcerzak .

But two new members who will be sworn in during a special meeting tonight say they hope they can clear the contentious air as they start their terms.

"I'm looking forward to working with everyone on the board," said Stacey Borgens, who, along with George Perros, . "We should put the past behind us and come together. ... As our teachers and students leave (this summer), I want them to look ahead to the new school year and want to come back. I want them to have an increased morale."

"I hope going forward there's more chance to have discussions," she added. "I think you can have a disagreement while remaining respectful of (the other person's) opinion. I may not agree but I think I can bring a level of respect."

"It sounds like there are some issues that need to be resolved, but I'm looiing forward to it," said Perros, who ran on a joint ticket with Borgens.

(Current Board President Sean William Doyle also was re-elected in April. He did not return a call for comment in this article.)

Borgens and Perros also agreed that they want to work on making the board more transparent to parents and taxpayers by providing more information to the public, especially during meetings.

"What I'm looking for are more explanations," Perros said. "We need to give (the public) an idea of what we're passing and why. ... We need to be more open with the public and that we're not trying to hide anything."

Borgens added that the more they can inform parents, the more parents can help the district when it comes to offering up ideas and solutions.

"The more educated parents are, the more involved they become, and the more people we get involved the better," she said.

The newly elected board members, however, are quick to point out that they still have a lot to learn about how the board operates as well as familliarizing themselves with the ins and outs of the district and its various schools. As part of their board training, Perros and Borgens will attend a "boot camp" for new board members sponsored by the Illinois Association of School Boards. They also will attend an orientation with Superintendent Pain and other district administrators.

"The IASB has a website, and I've been trying to study that as much as possible," Perros said. "And in the future, I want to attend classes and seminars as much as I can."

The first thing Borgens and Perros have done to educate themselves was to visit with the administrators of the Summit Hill schools and take tours of the grounds. It was an experience that Borgens called "eye-opening."

"We had a chance to go through all the buildings and see how things work," she said. "We talked to administrators about their needs. ... They would love more staff, but at the same time, we live in an economic time where we don't always get our wish list."

"It was wonderful because you have to realize how big our district is," Borgens added. "When you get there everyone has these great ideas. It's just this cornucopia of good ideas. ... It was very interesting to see (the administrators') perspective of their schools and how they fit in with the district."

Although Borgens and Perros have only spoke in passing to some of their soon-to-be fellow board members, they do plan on using them and their collective experience as a resource.

"I kinda want to go into this and make my own way," Borgens said. "I want to take it all in and then make up my own mind and have my own perspectives. And then go and ask for help.

"I look forward to working with all of them and sitting down and getting my feet wet," she added.

SUMMIT HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT 161 BOARD MEETING

When: 7 p.m. Monday, May 2
Where: District Administration Office, 20100 S. Spruce Dr.
More info: Go here for an agenda of the meeting.