2 Women Running For Elmhurst School Board

ELMHURST, IL – So far, two candidates have filed for the Elmhurst School District 205 board in the April election, and they have one thing in common – a first name.

On Monday, Kelly Asseff and Kelly Henry submitted their paperwork to the DuPage County Clerk's Office. They live a couple of blocks from each other near Schiller Street and Berteau Avenue.

Residents Tom Chavez and Jammie Esker Schaer also have announced their candidacies for the board, but they did not file Monday. They have until next Monday to do so.

Four of the board's seven seats are up in the election. They are held by Chris Kocinski, Courtenae Trautmann, Beth Hosler and Karen Stuefen. None of the incumbents have filed yet.

Both Asseff and Henry posted campaign logos on their Facebook pages Monday.

On her page, Asseff includes photos of herself with slogans such as "Black Lives Matter" and "Disinformation is deadly – Vaccines save lives."

In response to a Patch inquiry, Asseff said she had a long history of working in schools with students, teachers and parents.

"I am passionate about education and student development, and with three children in the district and my experience and skills, I felt it was the right time to further participate in our schools and community," she said.

Asseff has lived in Elmhurst for a decade. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from Indiana University and a master's degree in education with a counseling specialization from Florida Atlantic University. She said she worked for many years as a counselor for a high-achieving middle school.

"I have led a comprehensive school guidance program, which included individual and group counseling, classroom guidance, parent/teacher consultation and college/career planning," Asseff said. "I value the importance of child mental health and support programs that assist students in forming healthy goals, mindsets and behaviors. These help students achieve current and future success and be their best selves."

Henry is a mother of twin girls in second grade at Edison Elementary School. She is a part-time pediatrician and palliative care physician at Loyola University Medical Center.

Henry is also an associate professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, where she teaches medical students and residents.

"As a doctor, I advocate for patient-centered care and treating the whole patient. As a teacher, I understand the challenges of education," Henry said in a statement. "I want to bring that same level of compassion and care to advocate for the well-being and education of the whole student – every student – in Elmhurst as a member of the D205 board of education."