Batavia welcomes new school board members

Three newly-elected school board members were sworn in at the Batavia School District 101 Board of Education meeting on April 25.

According to a news release from the district, Rob Arulandu, Raquel Gonzalez-Thomas and Danielle Sligar are now officially members of the school board after taking the oath of office.

Tuesday marked the last meeting for outgoing school board members Cathy Dremel, Erin Meitzler and Chris Lowe.

“We are pleased to welcome our newly elected board members, who bring a wealth of experience and dedication to our school district,” said Superintendent Lisa Hichens. “We are confident that their contributions will help us continue to provide high-quality education and support for our students.”

New Batavia Board of Education members The complete Board of Education as of April 25, 2023. From left to right: RJ Mathis, Sue Locke, Aaron Kilburg, Raquel Gonzalez-Thomas, Danielle Sligar, Rob Arulandu and Craig Meadows. (Batavia School Board 101 )

The newly-elected board members expressed their excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to serve on the board and positively impact the education system in Batavia.

“I look forward to working with the entire board, and let’s get some stuff done,” Arulandu said in the release.

“I look forward to working with all of you to make BPS101 a top-tier district, and as I look at this board, I am glad we have some representation,” Gonzalez-Thomas said in the release.

“I can say with confidence that we are going to do everything we can to serve the entire community and really make sure that every voice is thought about when we make decisions and have conversations,” Sligar said in the release.

The school board will welcome new superintendent Tom Kim in July, after Hichens’ retirement in June.