8 Candidates Face Off For 4 Spots On LHS Board: Election 2023

LEMONT, IL — In Tuesday's consolidated election, eight candidates will face off for four positions on Lemont High School's Board of Education. The four positions are for 4-year terms.

The eight candidates are:

• Pamela Driscoll
• Gary Gray
• Renee Koehler
• Beverly Markiewicz Marzec
• Edward McManus
• Noal Staubus
• Jody Benson
• Lisa Buczyna

Driscoll, Gray, Koehler and Marzec are incumbents, running as the Top Four slate.

Driscoll currently serves as the Board's vice president, and has served since 2003, according to the District Website. Gray first served on the board from 1993 to 2003, and rejoined in 2013. Koehler joined the board in 2015, and Marzec has served on the board since 1991.

"Averaging 20 years of service to the Lemont High School community as board members, we are committed to addressing the complex issues that affect our district. Our combined experience provides historical context and strength in decision-making which are key factors in our overall success," the slate said in a Letter to the Editor.

The Top Four slate has been endorsed by the Association of Lemont Teachers.

McManus, Staubus, Benson and Buczyna are running as the Final Four slate.

"We've begun gathering feedback from parents whom want the school board to increase transparency into the curriculum process, so they might offer their input," the Final Four's slate mission includes.

The Final Four Slate has been endorsed by Awake Illinois, a nonprofit conservative group that warns parents about the indoctrination and grooming of children. In its endorsement, Awake Illinois cited dropping test scores in the high school.

Awake is known for opposing all-ages drag shows at the Downers Grove Public Library. The group's website says, "Be the barrier between your child and anyone or any agenda to indoctrinate/groom/data mine your children."

Lemont High School serves the Village of Lemont, and also portions of Darien, Downers Grove and Woodridge, according to the District website.

Polls will open across Cook and DuPage counties at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, and will close at 7 p.m. Election results will remain unofficial until later this month, when the county clerk's offices finish counting mail-in and provisional ballots.