8 Candidates File To Run For D300 School Board

ALGONQUIN, IL — Community School District 300 is among the school board races that will be packed with candidates next spring.

As of Tuesday, eight candidates have filed to run for four open seats on the District 300 school board. Among the candidates that have filed so far are incumbents Stephen J. Fiorentino, who will be seeking his third term as a school board member, and Nancy Zettler, the board's vice president who will vie for a second term.

Leslie Lemarca, who was first elected to the school board in 2019, has not yet filed to run for her second term, and Joe Stevens, who was first appointed to the D300 board in 2006 and then elected to his current seat in 2007, also has not filed.

Stevens told Patch on Tuesday that after 17 years on the board, it's time for "new blood." Stevens, who is 77 years old, says he will miss being part of the school board.

"In reality, I will miss it but these last few years have been especially difficult with the pandemic, and a very vocal minority who attack us on a regular basis," he said. "My hope is that whomever replaces me on the board will have one goal and only one goal, the truly best interests socially, emotionally, and educationally of the children of this district."

Newcomers who plan to vie for open seats include: Olutola "Tola" Makinde, Randi Gauthier, Laurie Parman, Robert Reining, Connie Cain and Kristina Konstanty, according to the clerk's office.

Candidates have until 5 p.m. on Monday to file paperwork with the clerk's office to run for the spring election.