Filing period opens for local school boards

The La Salle County and Bureau County clerk's offices announced the following petitions were filed for school board in the April 2021 elections. Candidates have until the close of business Dec. 21 to turn in their paperwork and run for office.

High schools

• LaSalle-Peru Township High School: Incumbents Matthew Merboth and Carol Alcorn have filed petitions for reelection. There are four open seats.

• Ottawa Township High School: Incumbents Karen Fisher and Don Harris have filed petitions, as has newcomer Laurence Bartman. There are four seats open.

• Seneca High School: Incumbents Tiffany Biros, Jason Eltrevoog, Joseph Johnson and Cory Yandell all have filed petitions for the four open seats.

• Princeton High School: Colleen Sailer and John Young filed petitions to remain on the school board.

Elementary schools

• La Salle Elementary: Hank Senica, an incumbent, has filed for reelection. Three more seats are open in 2021.

• Ladd Elementary: Jane Picatto, Paul Quinn and Jessica Grubar filed petitions.

• Marseilles: Incumbent Bobby Kaminski has filed a petition.

• Mendota Elementary: Incumbent Vice President Tim Pohl, incumbent President Sean Pappas and newcomer Holli Rapp all have filed petitions. A total of four seats are open.

• Milton Pope: Newcomer David Timmons and incumbent President Daniel Mitchell have filed petitions. There are three seats open.

• Peru Elementary: Dr. Chithambarathanu Pillai, an incumbent, has filed for reelection. Three more seats are open in 2021.

• Princeton Elementary: Newcomer Catherine Dye filed.

• Oglesby Elementary: Michael Porter, a newcomer, has filed for one of four open seats.

• Ottawa Elementary: Maribeth Manigold, an incumbent, has filed for reelection.

• Ransom (Allen-Otter Creek): John W. Kling, a newcomer, is seeking one of two open seats on the Allen-Otter Creek school board.

• Rutland: Incumbent board member Brittany Edgcomb has filed for reelection. A total of four seats are open.

• Spring Valley Elementary: Ted Urbanoski and James Faletti filed for posts.

• Streator Elementary: Incumbent Secretary Linda Volkman and incumbent President Barbara Ehling have filed for reelection. Two more seats are open.

• Tonica Elementary: Incumbent CiCi Chalus has filed for reelection. Three more seats are open.

• Wallace: Incumbent Bill Keene has filed for reelection. A total of four seats are open.

• Waltham Elementary: Incumbents James McCabe, Nicole Mertes and Jason Depenbrock all have filed for reelection, along with newcomer Allison Nichols. Buffy Hoskins is not running again.