Letter to the Lemont High School District 210 Community

Dear Community Members:

We are Mike Kardas, Kurt Korte and Lynn Antonopoulos—the slate of incumbent candidates who are running for reelection to the Lemont High School District 210 Board of Education. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue to volunteer our time on behalf of the students in our community.

Unfortunately, information that has been circulated by a candidate and his supporters concerning our school is misinformed and factually inaccurate. But, we’ll get to that in a minute.

First, ours are the top three names you will see on the ballot when you vote during early voting or at your polling place on Tuesday, April 1. We are asking for your vote.

If you’re new to the Lemont area, chances are our highly rated schools helped influence your decision to move here. As incumbents, we take pride in the work we have done to help build this strong reputation. We’re committed to continued success.

There are many good reasons why we are the best candidates to fulfill this important role, but here are just a few:

· We have a strong track record of effectively managing resources, making informed decisions and upholding transparency and accountability.

· Under our governance, Lemont High School earned an “Exemplary” summative designation from the Illinois State Board of Education on its 2024 Illinois School Report Card. This recognition is awarded only to the top 10% of the state’s public high schools.

· Less than 2% of the state’s high schools met each of Lemont High School’s marks in four-year graduation rate (96.1%), English Language Arts proficiency (48.3%) and Mathematics (52.4%). What do these figures mean? As an example, 52.4% of our seniors could have passed a freshman-level college math course before ending their junior year of high school!

And, our average composite SAT score of 1080 ranks among the top 5.2% of the state’s public high schools. It’s insulting to imply, as our opponent and his supporters have done, that less than half of our students can read and do math.

They have also questioned whether our coursework helps students develop financial literacy. Illinois mandates coursework in this area, and Lemont High School meets the need, offering Consumer Education, Personal Finance, Business Economics, Consumer Math, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Microeconomics. In addition to meeting a high school graduation requirement, students can earn college dual credit through Consumer Education or Personal Finance.

No matter what falsehoods our opponent and his supporters would have you believe, our students are primed for success through the high-quality education we offer!

· We’re preparing students for whatever path they choose. We’ve expanded course offerings, implemented College & Career Pathway Endorsements, and increased opportunities for them to earn college credit and industry credentials.

Lemont High School is the only high school in Illinois to have at least 80% of its students enrolled in a Career & Technical Education class and at least 40% of its students enrolled in an Advanced Placement class.

· With an eye on population growth, we have carefully developed a 10-year Master Facilities Plan to ensure our students have the best environment to learn and grow. Our school, as currently constructed, is more than well-equipped to accommodate the anticipated growth in our community.

· We’re making critical updates to our technological infrastructure, ensuring security and connectivity for the future.

· We were recently recognized for exceptional governance by the Illinois Association of School Boards—just one of 46 boards in the state to receive this designation.

We have addressed the misinformation about our student performance. We would also like to address questions about why we serve on the board of education without having our own students in the district.

Together, the three of us have seven Lemont High School graduates. Their education at Lemont prepared them for careers in IT, law enforcement, education, neurobiological research, corporate event planning and supply chain management. We know the value of the education they received, and we work hard to ensure all current and future students have the best opportunities for success.

Why do we serve? To give back. We have demonstrated a relentless commitment to making our community better, without seeking a benefit in return. Our combined years of service in Lemont include—but are certainly not limited to—involvement with the high school’s athletic booster club, Keepataw Days, Channel 6, Lemont High School Educational Foundation, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Lemont Junior Woman’s Club, Hope & Friendship, and volunteer service in our churches.

Beyond that, as homeowners and taxpayers in this community, we have a vested interest in protecting and increasing our property values. We work together with our fellow board members unaffected by personal bias, able to focus on the best outcomes for all students.

Experience matters, and we have accomplished so much, but there is more work to do! Even with our successes, the district is always looking to get better. We strategically leverage internal and external resources to make targeted improvements. With your support, we can continue to provide an environment where every student can succeed.

Please vote for us on April 1 (or before if you’re going on spring break), and we’ll keep working for you, our students and our future! #WeAreLemont

Thank you. Mike Kardas – Kurt Korte – Lynn Antonopoulos
Find us on Facebook by searching “Re-elect LHS 210”. Visit our website at ReElectLHS210.com.