Once again the Delegate Assembly slate swept all four seats at stake on April 2 for the LaGrange Elementary School District 102 Board of Education.
With all 21 precincts reporting, incumbent school board President Brian Anderson finished first in the five-candidate field with 1,873 votes.
Finishing second was retired school principal Bessie Emerson Boyd with 1,727 votes. Middle school teacher Leah Werab finished third with 1,710 votes, and school administrator Scott Wuggazer grabbed the last seat up this year by finishing fourth with 1,620 votes.
District 102 includes the southwest quarter of Brookfield.
Falling short in her bid for a seat on the school board was LaGrange Park resident Jessica Mandra, who was not endorsed by the Delegate Assembly. Mandra received 1,449 votes, 171 fewer than Wuggazer.
“Running as an independent and an unknown against a slate, I think it’s an accomplishment to come within 2 percent,” said Mandra the day after the election. “I got a lot of great support. I really enjoyed going out and talking to the community.”
Mandra, who missed the final Delegate Assembly interview session because of a work conflict, ran a determined campaign. She emphasized the need for better communication in the district. She said she spent about $2,500 on her campaign, which featured about 125 yard signs, a campaign Facebook page, campaign literature and campaign buttons.
Mandra said that she will stay active in the district.
“These issues are issues in the district, so they’re not going away. I feel very passionate about them, I’m going to work to find a way to work on them,” Mandra said.
Boyd, who attended Congress Park School as a child, said she is looking forward to serving on the school board of the district she attended as a child. She said she wants to follow the goals set by the school board.
“I’m looking forward to working with the board members and the district to move the agenda forward,” Boyd said.
