Michelle Belseth knows Community High School District 218 from the perspective of a parent, a graduate and now, a school board member.
A Merrionette Park resident and Dwight D. Eisenhower High School graduate, Belseth was appointed to the District 218 Board of Education to fill the seat vacated by Jennifer Bednarczyk, who resigned June 3.
“I believe our schools are one of the most important parts of a strong community,” Belseth said. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve on the Board of Education and look forward to listening, learning, and working together with our families, educators, and community to support our students and help our schools thrive.”
Belseth brings a particularly close connection to Eisenhower and the district. All four of her children are Eisenhower graduates, giving her years of experience watching the district from a parent’s perspective.
Now, she will have a hand in decisions affecting the schools and families who make up the district.
Belseth was sworn in during a special board meeting July 30 and attended her first regular board meeting Aug. 18. She represents a subdistrict that includes portions of Alsip and Blue Island.
Outside of her new role on the school board, Belseth works as a deputy clerk in the Clerk’s Office for the Village of Merrionette Park. She studied executive secretarial skills at Southwest School of Business in Chicago.
The district interviewed Belseth as part of the process of selecting someone to complete Bednarczyk’s term. Belseth will serve through the April 6, 2027, Consolidated Election.
Her appointment marks a new chapter in a relationship with District 218 that began when she was a student and continued as she raised four children through its schools. Now, she returns to the district in a different role, with a seat at the table and a chance to help shape its future.