D219 School Board member Amber Wood was elected school board president at the May 6 meeting. Former board president Ken Durr was elected vice president, and new board member Kandice Cooley-Jones was elected secretary. The board also includes new members Nour Akhras and Lindley Wisnewski, who were sworn in on May 6 and returning members Celia Stennett and David Ko.
Wood was elected to the school board in 2023, and as the new board president, she hopes to prioritize the commitment required when serving on the school board.
“You cannot work on behalf of the board if you don’t show up. It is going to be something that we discuss and review with the new board members to make sure that they understand the commitment that it entails, and for current board members, we’ll review that with them as well. There is a fiduciary responsibility and a responsibility to the people who voted for you to serve,” Wood said.
Ko was absent for nine of 16 school board meetings between August 2024 and April 2025, resulting in an attendance rate of 19% according to the Board’s 2024-2025 attendance report. The percentage is based on the number of meetings members attend without arriving late or leaving early. Other board members’ attendance rates range between 75% (Naema Abraham, who did not run for reelection this year) to 100% (Wood, Stennett and Elana Jacobs, who also did not run for reelection this year.) Wood requested that the report be attached in the minutes for the March 4 meeting. The totals listed include attendance rates for regular meetings, special meetings, finance meetings and equity meetings.
Ko did not respond to a request for comment on his attendance.
West English teacher Dena Lichterman commented on Ko’s absences and the need for consequences.
“There is no way to effectively lead without being present for discussions. As a district, we have policies for when students are absent. If a student exceeds the (allotted) amount, notices are sent, parents are contacted and grades drop, often resulting in kids failing classes. These are the natural consequences for not being present. With this in mind, it is baffling that the board does not have strict systems in place for board member attendance to meetings. Seems like there should be some consequences, right? Or, the ethical thing Mr. Ko should do is step down if he is unable to fulfill his obligations. Why did he run if he couldn’t be present?” Lichterman said.
Students in Illinois are considered chronically absent if they miss school 10% or more of the school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Ko was appointed to the school board in 2013 after board member Lynda Smith died, and he was reelected in 2015, 2019 and 2023. His term expires in 2027, and he will be eligible for reelection. Board members Wood, Stennett and Durr will also be eligible for reelection in 2027.
One of the goals the board plans to prioritize is the five-year strategic plan. The current strategic plan embraces the EMPOWER acronym for D219 graduates: equity-driven, mindful, passionate, opportunity seekers, worldly, exceeding expectations, resilient. The current plan was instituted in 2020 and expires this year. The board will then reevaluate and render an updated version.
Wood identifies the strategic plan as a priority.
“[The five-year strategic plan] is kind of our guiding star. That way we have a reference point; the north star is always the students. The students come first. What will engage students? What empowers students? What will make sure, to the best of out abilities, that we are working to put students in the front of every question. That’s going to be something that requires a lot of community engagement, a lot of student engagement, parent engagement, staff engagement. This is a big undertaking and one that is time well spent. If we do it the right way, we are setting ourselves up for success,” Wood said.
Part of the current strategic plan and vision is to provide equity, diversity and inclusion to all students. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs are currently under attack from the Trump Administration, and Wood reiterated the district’s commitment.
“DEI is not just based on race and gender, it is also based on ability. It is making sure that every person that arrives to District 219 is supported in the way that they need to be supported. One of the ways we can do that is making sure that this is a focal question when we are evaluating programs and looking forward. Under attack does not mean gone anywhere. We are going to continue supporting our students as has been dictated,” Wood said.
West Computer Science teacher Matthew Fahrenbacher is the president of the Niles Township Federation of Teachers and Support Staff (NTFTSS) and works closely with the school board in contract negotiations as well as any school board initiatives that affect teachers and support staff. He is looking forward to working with Wood in this capacity.
“I know Amber specifically has a lot of focus on transparency, and she also is a fierce advocate for students; she speaks her mind. If there are things that come in front of the board that she thinks are not right, she will definitely call that out. I think we have some leaders on the board who are interested in moving the district forward. I’m excited to see what ways we can work moving forward to make our schools better,” Fahrenbacher said.
