La Grange Highlands Gets New Board Majority

LA GRANGE, IL — Soon, when someone says "Jennifer" during a La Grange Highlands School District 106 board meeting, three people will be looking up. Come May, three of the seven members will be named Jennifer.

In Tuesday's election, no La Grange Highlands incumbents sought re-election. This follows a year of debates over in-person vs. remote learning.

Whatever happened in Tuesday's election, a new majority was guaranteed on the board. Four seats were up for election.

The winners were Kristi Bruno with 625 votes, Jodi Golm with 605, Katy Fattaleh with 577 and Jennifer Mitchell with 522, according to unofficial election results.

The losing candidates were Ellen Welter with 480 votes, Jennifer Mishos with 385, Brian Wolf with 368 and Kara Ferrell with 264.

The four departing members are Natalie Watkins, John Corcoran, Laurie Scheer and Nathan Phillips.

The remaining members are current President Andy Taylor, Jennifer Gusentine and Jennifer Dunleavy.

With the new board, only one man will be among the members. As it happens, members with the name Jennifer could have been a majority of the board if Jennifer Mishos had prevailed. The winners in the election will take office in early May.

A day before the election, the board appointed John Munch as the new superintendent starting in July. He is the assistant superintendent for human resources for School District 181, which serves elementary and middle school students in Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills.

In December, the La Grange Highlands position went vacant after then-Superintendent Amy Warke resigned under mysterious circumstances. She had missed a few meetings.

Steve Griesbach has been filling the role on an interim basis.