Ballot has 4 incumbents, 1 newcomer
By CRYSTAL LINDELL - clindell@nwherald.com
McHENRY – Voters will get to choose between four incumbents and one newcomer for four seats in the McHenry School District 15 race this April.
Incumbents Kim Qualls, 37; Albert Castellanos, 51; Ted Pillow, 57; and Tim Sabatka, 47, will compete against Melanie Orendorff, 50, in the race.
One of the hot topics in the district has been the possible expansion of the continuous calendar program at Landmark School.
Most of the candidates said they wouldn’t want to force the program on any parents but wouldn’t be opposed to putting an addition on the building to spread its availability.
“Expanding the program at Landmark would be better than to expand it to other schools,” Castellanos, retired after 31 years at AT&T, said in a Northwest Herald candidate survey. “If the waiting list grows to a couple hundred or more, then we, as a district, would have to consider moving the program to another school.”
And both Orendorff, who works as a senior internal auditor, and Qualls, who works as a high school English and social studies teacher, seemed to agree with that approach.
“With only 1 percent of students on the current waiting list, I have a hard time justifying expanding the program to other schools,” Qualls said on her survey.
And Orendorff, who is a Landmark parent, said that while she loved the program, she wouldn’t want to force it on anyone.
“Not everyone in the community is for expanding the program districtwide, and as a board member, I believe it is important to be cognizant of the community needs and wishes,” she said.
Pillow, a human resource manger for Affinia, was more undecided in his response.
“I like the concept,” he said in his survey, adding “Going districtwide, not sure at this point.”
Sabatka, a global sourcing vice president for Cypress Medical products, said the program had been very successful and he was open to expansion ideas.
“We need to do everything that we can to offer that program to as many parents and families as possible,” he said.
The League of Women Voters will host a meet the candidates night for the District 15 race at 7 p.m. April 2 at McHenry Middle School, 2120 Lincoln Road, McHenry. Community members are invited to attend.
The election is April 7.
