Lockport District 205 Foundation to host school board candidate forum

Lockport — The Lockport Township High School 205 Foundation will host a candidate forum for those running for the Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education on Tuesday in the Lockport East Campus Auditorium.

In the statement announcing the event, the LTHS 205 Foundation called the event “part of our service to the Lockport Township Community” and described the evening as “a neutral space for all 16 candidates to become familiar with the constituents they will represent and one that brings citizens together to create public value.”

The event is slated to take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and all members of the LTHS community are welcome to attend. Doors open to attendees at 6:15.

Of the 16 candidates appearing on the ballot in the April 1 election, nine have confirmed as of Feb. 26 they will be attending the event.

Candidates Eric Nush, Ron Farina, Candace Gerritsen, Paul Lencioni, Ann Lopez-Caneva, Michaelene O’Halloran, James “Jay” Roti, James Shake, and Wendy Streit will each have the opportunity to share answers to five questions they were provided in advance, under the moderation of a foundation board member.

Of the candidates appearing Lopez-Caneva and Gerritsen are the only incumbent candidates. Lopez-Caneva currently serves as the board president and is only seeking an additional two-year term, while Gerritsen was appointed in July to fill the vacancy left by the death of board member Sandra Chimon Rodgers. She is now seeking a full four-year term.

Candidates in the race who have not confirmed their attendance are incumbents Lou Ann Johnson and Lance Thies – who was appointed to the board in May 2024 to fill the vacancy left by the departure of member Marty Boersma, as well as Thomas “Tommy” Hill, Scott Nyssen, Michael Deane, and Theresa “Tammy” Hayes, who – along with Roti – was removed from the ballot for the Homer Glen Village Board earlier in the election cycle for attempting to run for two conflicting offices at once.

While 16 names will appear on the ballot for six seats, only 15 people are actually eligible candidates.

Former board member Zyan Navarra stepped down from his seat in December after revealing he had moved out of the district and was no longer eligible for the seat, though he did not remove his name from the ballot.