Pete Miller: Candidate For Lemont-Bromberek D113A Board Of Ed

LEMONT, IL — The consolidated election, which features several local races, will be held on April 1, with early voting starting on March 17. As a way to help keep voters informed, Patch offers candidate questionnaires for all candidates in local races.

One of those races in Lemont is the race for Lemont-Bromberek District 113A Board of Education. There are five candidates running for three 4-year terms.

One of those candidates is Pete Miller. Miller recently filled out the Patch candidate questionnaire, and his answers can be found below:

(If you are a candidate in the upcoming April 1 election, please email andrea.earnest@patch.com for a candidate questionnaire to share your positions with readers)

Your Name:

Pete Miller

Campaign website:

https://www.facebook.com/profi...

Age (as of election day):

43

Town/city of residence:

Woodridge

School district:

Lemont-Bromberek 113A and Lemont Township High School 210

Family. (Names, ages and any pertinent details you wish to share.):

My wife is an educator who has been working in the field for nearly 20 years. She has worked in several area districts.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for.

No, I do not have direct connections to current political positions. However, my mother served as a Board Trustee for the Plainfield Public Library from 2001 to 2019. Additionally, my older brother worked for the Minority Floor Leader in the Illinois House of Representatives until 2023. While my wife is an educator, she does not work for Lemont-Bromberek 113A.

Education:

I am a graduate of Plainfield High School and Lewis University where I majored in Aviation Flight Management and minored in Business Administration, Aircraft Dispatch, and Aviation Administration.

Occupation. Please include years of experience.

I have worked as an airline pilot for the past 20 years. I am currently employed by United Airlines as a Captain on the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft.

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

I am a proud union member and am honored to have served on several committees, including a role as Chairman of the Family Awareness Committee.

The most pressing issues facing our district are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them.

The most pressing issues facing our district are fiscal responsibility and transparency in practice.

I intend to address these issues by closely monitoring enrollment trends and thoughtfully identifying opportunities to maintain and potentially expand our facilities to accommodate the district's needs. Having grown up in Plainfield, I experienced firsthand the challenges of overcrowding in schools and will work to approve solutions that maximize the learning environment for students. To enhance communication, I propose implementing video and/or audio recordings of school board meetings, ensuring that those unable to attend can stay informed.

Should cell phones be banned during school? Why or why not?

Cell phones present a complex issue. They enable students to communicate with their families and respond in emergencies, yet they can also lead to distractions in the classroom and hinder in-person socialization. Earlier this month, Governor Pritzker expressed his support for a cell phone ban, prompting school boards across Illinois, including Lemont-Bromberek 113A, to monitor the status of this bill. As a School Board Member, it is essential to evaluate updates to school policy and school code. Districts rely on legal support and the Policy Reference Education Subscription Service (PRESS) provided by the Illinois Association of School Boards. If elected, I will carefully consider the mandates of this bill and gather input from our educators, administrators, and parents to determine the most effective way to implement this policy in Lemont-Bromberek 113A.

If you are a challenger, what do you bring to the board and what may you plan to change?

I believe that the current school board members have become complacent in their positions. They are not addressing the inconsistencies in student achievement and are failing to engage in discussions about financial matters, such as the nearly 6% increase in administrative salaries for the current school year, despite hiring five new administrators last spring—typically a time for districts to maintain or reduce spending. This includes increases in the superintendent's salary by 11% and the assistant superintendent's salary by nearly 12% for the current fiscal year.

Moreover, the current Board did not follow a transparent hiring process when Dr. McConnell resigned last winter. His resignation was accepted on January 16, 2024, the same day Dr. Orzel was hired, bypassing the standard superintendent search procedures. This process is crucial for identifying the district's needs, soliciting potential candidates, and conducting interviews to find the best match.

Complacency is further evident in the attendance of Board members. Incumbent member Collins only attended 29% of school board meetings during the 2023-2024 school year; missing one of the three strategic planning sessions. Similarly, incumbent member Kerrigan only attended 59% of school board meetings; missing two of the three strategic planning sessions. I will make every effort to attend all school board meetings in order to play an active role in guiding the district.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

I previously mentioned the anticipated increases in student enrollment and would like to provide some context for this issue. In the spring of 2023, Dr. Anthony McConnell initiated a review of our current facilities and enrollment projections. On May 31, 2023, Mr. Colby Lewis from STR Architects presented the findings of the 10-year health and life safety studies for Oakwood, River Valley, and Old Quarry, along with a district facility assessment and potential plans to address future growth.

The new Gleneagle subdivision, located near McCarthy Street and Bell Road, will include over 300 units, some of which may house children who do not currently attend Lemont-Bromberek schools. I believe it is crucial to prioritize enrollment, as there are financial, physical, curricular, and staffing implications that must be taken into account. Our community deserves to be actively involved in discussions surrounding potential solutions to prevent a financial crisis similar to the one experienced by the district just 15 years ago.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I graduated at the top of my class from Lewis University and had the honor of serving as a speaker at the commencement ceremony. While working as a pilot for a regional airline, I was selected to serve as a Line Check Airman, where I was responsible for training and evaluating other pilots in their qualifications and job responsibilities. Additionally, I am a founding member of the Robert Delaney Scholarship at Lewis University, which provides funding for aspiring pilots as they acquire the educational and flight hours necessary to complete their degree programs.

Why should voters trust you?

To obtain and maintain my FAA license, I must be recognized as being of good moral character. Pilots have an ethical obligation to prioritize the well-being of passengers, crew, and the general public when making decisions in the flight deck. This mindset naturally extends to the role of a school board member, where the well-being of students should be the primary focus.

Furthermore, I believe in maintaining open communication about my decisions and actions, and I take full responsibility for them. I welcome conversations with anyone in the Lemont-Bromberek 113A community regarding the School Board's work and the direction of our school district. Most importantly, I am committed to serving the best interests of the community by prioritizing students in all decisions.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office a success?

I aim to see an increase in student performance in 113A over the next four years. Additionally, I advocate for the district to reduce spending on non-critical needs and to implement a concrete plan for managing increasing enrollment without placing an undue burden on taxpayers. Finally, I believe in enhancing transparency from the Board of Education. For instance, many school districts opt to record Board meetings, allowing the community to hear and view the agenda discussions. Currently, Lemont-Bromberek 113A provides only a summary of agenda items, which I believe does not foster community participation or promote transparency in the Board’s actions and rationale.

What guidance should staff be given for dealing with potential ICE enforcement at schools?

Illinois is fortunate to have a State Superintendent who provides valuable guidance to schools on how to best support students and families. In his weekly message on February 19, 2025, Dr. Sanders emphasized that the Illinois State Board of Education has issued guidance affirming that all students are entitled to equal access to a basic elementary and secondary education, a standard upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Plyler v. Doe. While School Boards can influence a school district’s goals and direction, they are still required to adhere to state laws and regulations, as schools are bound by case law.

How do you feel about sex education being taught in school? Should an LGBTQ component be included, and why or why not?

The State Board of Education has established physical development and health standards that educators in Illinois must teach. These standards are organized by grade level and emphasize the importance of presenting each topic in an age-appropriate manner. I support parents' rights to opt their children out of this instruction, allowing families to engage in these conversations at home and on their own timeline. I believe the school district can facilitate this right by clearly communicating when sex education units are scheduled and providing a straightforward procedure for parents to express their preference for non-participation.

Regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ topics, I am uncertain whether Lemont-Bromberek 113A currently incorporates this component into its health education program. As such, it is challenging to have an opinion on the district’s direction. The district website features a Curriculum Resources page, but it only provides information on the district’s math, ELA, and social-emotional curriculum resources. Additionally, the links on the Common Core webpage under the Academics tab directs users to the Illinois State Board of Education website and do not reflect the specific resources used in Lemont-Bromberek 113A. I believe this lack of information represents an additional opportunity for the district to enhance transparency, allowing families to make informed decisions for their children.

When it comes to student achievement, what are schools within this district doing well and what needs to be improved? How can those improvements be made?

Each year, the State Board of Education publishes a Report Card for every school and district in the state, which includes a summary of student achievement and growth based on the yearly state assessment. Notably, 113A's student achievement in the English Language Arts (ELA) portion of the Illinois Assessment of Readiness has surpassed pre-pandemic levels. However, there is a significant disparity in reading achievement across grade levels. In 2024, 43.8% of 4th grade students met or exceeded state standards in ELA, while an impressive 91.5% of 8th grade students did so. This shows that nearly 50% more 8th grade students are meeting ELA standards compared to their 4th grade peers. However, the growth isn't linear, with an inconsistent number of students demonstrating proficiency each year between 4th and 8th grade.

In math, 113A's overall achievement has also exceeded pre-pandemic levels, but only slightly. The performance range between individual grade levels in math is also narrower. In 2024, 72.3% of students met or exceeded state standards in math, while only 44.1% of 4th graders met or exceeded those standards. The difference is just under 30%, and similar to ELA, the growth is inconsistent.

What factors contribute to the strong performance of 113A’s 8th graders, and how can the district leverage this information to enhance the performance of all students? I believe our current School Board members are not asking the right questions regarding 113A’s student achievement and growth. Most importantly, they are not collaborating with the administrative team to analyze the assessment data in depth, identify deficits, and develop a proactive plan to address areas of need. Administrators in Lemont-Bromberek 113A should be encouraged to publicly share their strategies for maximizing student learning, enabling the Board to ensure that adequate staffing and material resources are provided to educators working with our students.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No. My wife and I have lived in our home since 2013 and expect to live in this residence until we retire.

Lemont Election Guide 2025: What’s On The Ballot, What To Know

Here are the candidates for Lemont-Bromberek Combined School District 113A:

• Board Member (vote for three)
  • Pete Miller
  • Bethany Martino (incumbent)
  • Kevin Collins (incumbent)
  • Patrick Kerrigan (incumbent)
  • Adam McRae