Three Candidates, Three Spots—School Board Races Lack Competition

With a little more than a month before the April election, the three candidates running for the available seats on the  school board likely will have an easy path to public service.

No one else has filed for a write-in candidacy, which means that candidates Nicholas Manheim, Judith McConnell, and longtime board member Kathy Hewell are the only ones running for the three spots on the April 5 ballot.

“Ninety percent of life is showing up,” said McConnell. “I just filed the petition and it turned out there were only three of us.”

Three years ago, McConnell moved to St. Charles and decided to run for the school board after a conversation with her 7-year-old grandson, who goes to school in Naperville.

“When at a family Thanksgiving dinner and a child’s first three items for which he claims to be thankful, are the earth, the air, and the water, would you presume that he is being well-instructed?” asked McConnell.

To McConnell, this response sounded too much like “indoctrination” and is the very reason she decided to run for the school board. She thinks this answer reflects a larger trend, indicating that schools have gotten away from the basics of education and now focus too much on all the “warm and fuzzy” stuff.

While serving as a school board member, McConnell wants to make sure that when District 303 students graduate, they’ll walk into the real world with the ability to write, read, add and subtract.

“Have you ever been to Walgreens when the computers are off? You can’t buy a pack of gum because our children aren’t taught the basic necessities,” said McConnell.

The other newcomer, Manheim, said his biggest focus will be to ensure District 303 students have plenty of opportunities. To make that happen, Manheim said he’ll help steer the district to operate within the current budget constraints.

“I’d just like to see continued success, and see some of the programs that have had success continue to succeed,” said Manheim.

Manheim recently relocated to St. Charles to start his own architecture firm and has a 9-month-old daughter, and the infant is one reason he decided to run. Manheim was attracted to St. Charles because of the great schools and the wealth of opportunities the district provides its students; something he wants for his own daughter.  

“I want her to have the opportunities. I went to a private high school, I just didn’t have the opportunities. There’s an architecture class at the high school level and I didn’t have that,” said Manheim.  

Joining the newcomers is Kathy Hewell, who will regain her current seat making it her third term on the board. Hewell said this board will have to make some tough decisions, like deciding what’s next for A decision she hopes the two new members will help freshen up with a new perspective.

“I hope that they’re going to bring a passion for education and a strong attitude toward public service, as I would hope any new board member would. Being that they’re new, maybe they have ideas that we haven’t considered,” said Hewell.