OneDistrict146 Group Preps to Run for D146 Board

Two incumbent members of the District 146 Board of Education are joining two involved parents to form the OneDistrict146 slate for the April 7, 2015 elections.

The slate will include current board members Dean Casper, who is seeking his fourth term in April, John Malloy, seeking his third term, and Darcy Nendza, a parent and PTA President for the four-year seats. Parent and educator Vincent J. Aiello will seek the two-year unexpired vacancy term.

Dean Casper was first elected to the District 146 School Board in 2003, and has served as a volunteer in the district serving on various committees and commissions since 1993. Casper was Chairman of the Friends of Education Committee which spearheaded the successful passage of the referendum to build Central Middle School in November 1998.

Darcy Nendza is seeking a four-year seat on the District 146 School Board. Nendza serves as Executive Director of the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA), an organization that promotes lifelong music learning and leadership in music education. Nendza lives in Oak Forest, with her husband Steven, Band Director at Jack Hille Middle School, and two sons. Since 2012, she has served as President of the PTA at Fierke Education Center. Over the past two years, the PTA has successfully fostered stronger community relations and expanded its programming.

John Malloy was first elected to the District 146 Board in 2007 and has served as president since 2013. Malloy also serves as a catechist at St. George, and his two children both attended Memorial School and Central Middle School in Tinley Park.

Vincent J. Aiello is seeking to fill the two-year vacancy on the District 146 Board. He was recently appointed to fill a vacancy on the District 146 Board, has been Director of the Tinley Park High School Band since 1993, and has been an active member of the Kruse PTA since 2008.

Casper cited District 146’s long history of fiscal responsibility, “when other districts were laying off teachers and cutting programs, we were able to expand programs and abate $1 million back to the homeowners.”

“After attending several school board meetings over the past two years, it is my hope to join in the great work being done in District 146,” said Nendza.

Malloy pointed out District 146’s exceptional education services, “I am very proud that our Early Childhood education programs were recognized by the State of Illinois as one of the state’s finest.”

“It has been my experience as a parent and the teacher of so many students who graduated from District 146, as they come to high school, that there is a strong family and community connection that creates a feeling of closeness throughout the district,” Aiello said.

“The mantra of our Board has been ‘One District’ for many years,” Casper added. “It is fitting we adopt it as our slate name, we have all three communities represented, we are active parents and community members, and everyone is extremely talented who performs at a high level.”

OneDistrict146 Candidate Bios

Dean Casper

• Married to former Mary Beth Owens. Children: Christopher Pratl (Jacqueline), Sean Pratl, Ricky Casper, Kevin Casper. Granddaughter Autumn Pratl.
• BS, Public Administration, NIU 1986
• First elected to District 146 School Board in 2003.
• Orland Park resident

Darcy Nendza

• Married to Steven Nendza, Two sons at Fierke Education Center
• Executive Director, Illinois Music Education Association 2010-Present
• Oak Forest resident
• Fierke PTA President 2012-Present
• Bachelors in Music Education, VanderCook College of Music 2000
• Masters of Science. Public Service/Non-Profit Administration, DePaul 2005

John Malloy

• Father of Molly and Joseph
• First elected to District 146 Board in 2007
• Tinley Park resident for last 18 years
• St. George Catholic Parishioner and Catechist
• District 146 Board President
• Fulton and Memorial construction subcommittee
• Memorial PTA Vice President
• BA, Columbia College 1985

Vincent J. Aiello

• Married to Jean, daughter Giana, 5th Grade student at Kruse
• Kruse PTA 2008-Present
• Tinley Park HS Band Director 1993-Present
• TPHS Teacher of the Year 1998
• Golden Apple Award Nominee 2008
• Bachelor, Masters of Music Education
• Masters of Educational Administration
• Member, St. Julie Catholic Parish

OneDistrict146 Fact Sheet

• District 146 abated $1 million back to taxpayers in FY2013, FY2014, FY2015
• District 146 ran a $2 million surplus in FY13, above the abatement, invested in facilities improvements at Kruse Education Center in Orland Park and Fierke Education Center in Oak Forest and new parking and traffic flow at Fierke.
• Completed state of the art remodel of Memorial School in Tinley Park, with no debt to taxpayers.
• Recognized by the State of Illinois for outstanding Early Childhood Education program at Fulton School in Tinley Park.