Former District 25 school board member remembered for passion for learning Susan Preissing, who served 12 years on the Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 Board of Education, died Friday after an eight-week fight with COVID-19. She was 56. Courtesy of Joseph Preissing Susan Preissing, who served 12 years on the Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 Board of Education, died Friday after an eight-week fight with COVID-19. She was 56. Courtesy of Joseph Preissing
Updated 5/19/2021 10:45 AM
Susan Preissing, who merged her passions for reading and service with a 12-year tenure on the Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 Board of Education, died Friday, after an eight-week battle with COVID-19.
The Arlington Heights resident was 56.
Updated 4/9/2021 8:09 PM
Amid calls for unity after a contentious Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 board election and reopening debate, divisions on the board were still evident in members narrow 4-3 vote late Thursday to increase in-person learning to five days a week from four.
The schedule change, which would take effect April 26 and last through the end of the school year June 11, had the support of parents and students who ve argued for the effectiveness of in-school learning over remote sessions.
But it was opposed by the teachers union, which sought to keep the weekly Monday remote sessions for extra planning time, small group and one-on-one instruction, and for all students to be on the same remote platform once a week.
Reopening debate or not, District 25, 214 incumbents dominate Upper from left, Melisa Andrews, Gina Faso, Rich Olejniczak, Anisha Patel and lower from left, Katie Rausch, Greg Scapillato, Deborah Tranter and Todd Witherow were candidates for District 25 school board in the 2021 election. Upper from left, Elizabeth Bauer, Mark Hineman, Rich Menninga, Millie Palmer, and lower from left, Andrea Rauch, Tony Rosselli, Jacqueline Ryan and Lenny Walker were candidates for the District 214 school board in the 2021 election. Anisha Patel
Posted4/8/2021 5:00 AM
Whether it was the reopening debate that got people out to the polls or not, incumbents in two hotly contested Arlington Heights-area school board races ruled election night.
Trio of incumbents lead in Arlington Heights District 25 dailyherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailyherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
With union support, establishment candidates turn back critics of gradual school reopenings
Updated 4/7/2021 2:00 PM
Voters throughout the Northwest suburbs sent educators a message Tuesday for the most part endorsing the gradual reopening approach most districts have taken in response to the pandemic.
In school district after school district, candidates who put a priority on listening to the health experts were elected, apparently often with the help of teachers unions.
This was the case in Glenbard High School District 87, Stevenson High School District 125, Palatine-Schaumburg Townships District 211 and Northwest Suburban High School District 214.
But there were exceptions: In Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 and Barrington Unit District 220, voters split their choices between measured reopening candidates and those who were strongly critical of the remote learning environment.