Jozwiak will be new face on Argo School Board

By Bob Bong and Carol McGowan

Catherine Jozwiak (1,434 votes) will be the newest member of the Argo High School District 217 Board of Education when she takes office in May.

She will join incumbents Jennifer Grenier (1,467 votes), board president Daniel Kozal (1,504 votes) and Diane Ponce (1,530 votes), who all won re-election in Tuesday’s voting, according to complete but unofficial results.

Cathy Jozwiak

Newcomer Ramanda Bond (1,099 votes) finished fifth in the race.

“I’m excited to win a fifth term on the Argo Board of Education,” said Kozal. “I look forward to continuing to support the taxpayers and students of Argo High School, and keeping it a great place for the students and the Argo community.”

“I’m so happy to be able to serve another four years on the Argo board,” said Grenier. “My family and I are committed to Argo High School.  My daughter is a third generation Argonaut and I love paying it forward to my community.”

“I’d like to give a huge thank you to my husband, family, and the voters in District 217,” said Ponce. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve another term representing Argo’s students, parents, and the entire Argo community. I will continue to go above and beyond what is needed to serve the Argo community.”

“I am overjoyed,” said Jozwiak. “I was biting nails all day, and so glad to have this opportunity. I volunteer already at many Argo events and already feel that Argo is home to me. I’m excited and looking forward to serving on the board with great, dedicated board members. At the end of this year, I will have two kids that will have graduated from Argo High School. I look forward to serving the community and students of Argo.”

Rhonda Regep-Hyde did not file to run for re-election.

Turnout in the election was 11.5 percent.

Morton District 201

Incumbent board member Maria Gallegos easily beat out Dolores Sanchez for the two-year unexpired term on the Morton District 201 school board. Complete but unofficial results showed Gallegos picked up 4,386 votes to 2,403 for Sanchez.

Also winning re-election was board president Jeffry Pesek (4,087 votes) and fellow incumbent Mark Kraft (4,118 votes). Joining them on the school board in May will be Fernando Godinez (3,996 votes).

Johnny Joe Reyes, and Suzanne Lee Donnelly trailed the field with 3,194 votes and Johnny Joe Reyes with 2,714 votes.

Lyons Township District 204

Seven candidates were seeking three four-year terms on the Lyons Township District 204 school board.

Incumbents Jill Beda Daniels and Kari Dillon were easily re-elected. Joining them on the board will be Timothy Albores.

Complete but unofficial results showed Albores received 6,725 votes, Daniels garnered 6,667 votes, and Dillon tallied 6,561 votes. Alison Kelly chose not to run for re-election.

Also on the ballot were Timothy Vlcek, David Herndon, Justin Clark, and Frank Evans.

Turnout was 25.4 percent.

Riverside-Brookfield District 208 

Incumbent Carolyn Lach defeated fellow incumbent Michael Welch in the race for the two-year unexpired term on the Riverside-Brookfield District 208 Board of Education on Tuesday.

Also winning re-election were Deanna Zalas, William Durkin, and Laura Hruska. Joining them when the new board convenes in May will be Nicholas Novak.

Complete but unofficial totals showed Lack polled 1,538 to 1,138 for Welch for the two-year term.

For the four-year term, Novak led all candidates with 2,073 votes, Zalas had 2,054, Durkin received 1,970 and Hruska garnered 1,722 votes.

Turnout was 14 percent.

Willow Springs District 108 

At first, it appeared Willow Springs District 108 would not have enough candidates to fill all of the open seats when incumbent Adriana Hawkins was the only person to file petitions to run for re-election.

That left two four-year terms up for grabs without candidates and a two-year term.

Write-in candidates filed to fill the other seats. They are Joe Bonomo, who is seeking the two-year unexpired term, and David Patterson and Jeffrey Wojciak who are running for the two four-year seats.

La Grange District 102

Six hopefuls were running for four four-year seats on the La Grange District 102 school board.

Incumbent Tiziana Lambert won re-election, but fellow incumbent Bessie Boyd was not as lucky. Also elected were newcomers Catherine Murphy, Molly Knott, and Kathryn McQuiston.

Complete but unofficial totals showed Knott led all candidates with 2,949 votes, Murphy received 2,584, Lambert garnered 2,482 and McQuiston tallied 2,465 votes. Boyd collected 2,218 votes.

Incumbents Leah Werab and Scott Wuggazer did not seek re-election.

Burbank District 111 

Another crowded field with seven candidates seeking three seats on the Burbank District 111 school board.

Incumbents Jessica Thomas and Thomas Jansen won re-election while fellow incumbent Tricia Ponicki was defeated by Marissa Swistowicz.

Complete but unofficial totals showed Swistowicz led all candidates with 464 votes, Jansen had 442, Thomas garnered 390. Ponicki received 335 votes to finish fourth.

Also on the ballot were Laura Thurman, Griselda Aguinaga, and Gabriel Garcia.

Turnout was 5.3 percent.