Bullying focus of new Batavia 101 board members

With all ballots counted, Batavia School District 101 is set to swear in two new board members while welcoming back two familiar faces.

According to updated voting totals, which now include late-arriving mail-in and provisional ballots, current board president Craig Meadows received 3,985 votes. Another incumbent, current board vice president Aaron Kilburg, received 4,058 votes.

The two newcomers set to take seats on the board are Katherine “Katy” Swiecicki, who received 4,064 votes, and Kristin Gehrels, who received 3,965 votes.

Missing out on being elected to the board is Rose McNaul, who received 2,083 votes.

The vote tallies will become official after canvassing takes place. The updated election totals do not change the initial election night projections.

In a special ceremony prior to April 22’s board meeting, both Swiecicki and Gehrels will take the oath of office before being officially seated on the board.

During the special session, each board member will be tasked with electing the upcoming term’s president and vice president of the board.

Following his reelection to the board, current board president Meadows said he was looking forward to continuing implementation of the strategic plan that the board helped pass late last year.

On election night, current board vice president Kilburg said he was proud that the candidates the voters chose are actively engaged in the community and will be strong advocates for the students.

Prior to being sworn-in, Swiecicki said the support she received from the voters demonstrates how much her campaign against bullying and discrimination in the schools resonated with the community.

Likewise, Gehrels said she would like to be a strong advocate for finding impactful solutions against bullying in the schools. She also said she was excited to help broaden resources available for students to better navigate their post-high school academic and professional lives.

All four of the winning candidates received support from the Batavia Education Association.