District 203 school board: Cush, McMillen, Blastic and Langer
The Naperville Unit District 203 school board will have at least two new faces after voters select four candidates to fill four-year seats on the board on April 1.
Charles Cush and Amanda McMillen are the only incumbents seeking reelection. The three challengers in the race are Holly Joy Blastic, Jillian Langer and Marc Willensky.
Cush, who has served the board since 2016, says District 203 has strengthened its reputation as a high-performing school district during his tenure. However, he acknowledges there are areas of improvement. For instance, he said the district needs to focus more on skill development and be forward-thinking to prepare students to compete in an evolving world.
McMillen, who works in nonprofit management, says she has gained valuable experience since joining the school board in 2021. She wants the district to focus on providing equitable access to courses and opportunities, including addressing achievement gaps and reducing predictable disparities.
McMillen and Cush enthusiastically speak about serving the district and helping students achieve their full potential. They are endorsed.
Langer, Blastic and Willensky also are passionate about wanting students to receive an excellent education.
Willensky, a retired finance executive, would use his skills and experience to help provide board oversight of the budget, audits and contracts. He also stresses the importance of collaboration.
Blastic, an attorney, has four children in elementary, junior high, and high school. As a result, she has a broad view of the various services the district provides and considers her role as a District 203 parent to be her greatest asset.
Langer, a business and project manager for a forensic engineering firm, also is the mother of two children in the district. She wants to be an independent voice on board and says she would make decisions based on data and listening to feedback.
While we believe all three challengers would make good board members, we were most impressed by Blastic and Langer. They are endorsed.