Lockport School District 205 Board looks to gain 3 new members

Lockport — Incumbents Ann Lopez-Caneva, Candace Gerritsen and Lou Ann Johnson are expected to hold their seats on the Lockport Township High School District 205 Board along with newcomers Michaelene O’Halloran, Wendy Streit and Theresa “Tammy” Hayes after Tuesday’s election.

Based on unofficial results, only one incumbent candidate did not win reelection: Lockport Director of Community and Economic Development Lance Thies, who was appointed to the board as an interim member in spring 2024.

Fifteen candidates were seeking six available seats on the District 205 board, an unusually high number of vacancies created by the need to elect candidates to complete the terms of two interim board members.

Thies and Gerritsen were appointed to their seats in 2024 after the resignation of board member Marty Boersma and the death of board Secretary Sandra Chimon-Rogers, respectively. Both Boersma and Chimon-Rodgers were elected in 2023.

As a result, two two-year seats were up for grabs along with the usual four four-year seats.

Tuesday’s vote results are unofficial.

Lopez-Caneva, who currently serves as board president, and O’Halloran won the two-year seats, defeating Thies, James Shake and Ron Farina.

Lopez-Caneva was the highest vote earner with 26.8% of the vote, while O’Halloran received 24% of the vote.

In the race for the four-year seats, Streit, an English teacher at Romeoville High School and the wife of Lockport Mayor Steven Streit, received the most votes, earning 14.3%.

She was followed by Gerritsen with 13.4% of the vote; Hayes, a Homer Glen business owner and regular participant in board meetings, who earned 12.1% of the vote; and Johnson, the current board secretary who has served since 2009, with 11.2% of the vote.

They defeated candidates Scott Nyssen, James “Jay” Roti, Thomas “Tommy” Hill, Paul Lencioni, Eric Nush and Michael Deane.

“The thing I want to say is thank you to all the people that supported me,” Lopez-Caneva said. “My passion is education, and I’m always here for the students and staff at LTHS. I’m looking forward to working with the people that won to make connections and try to make our school strong.

“Our voters wanted candidates with experience and who will make an impact to help our communities.”

Issues fueling the crowded race included standardized test scores and budgeting, particularly around the issue of Central Campus and the repairs needed to the facility.

The new members of the board will be sworn in in May, following two meetings in April, including a special meeting to approve contracts for summer construction work at Central Campus.

According to a statement sent out by District 205 administration Wednesday morning, the swearing-in meeting will take place May 5, but new members will be given access to board materials and will be able to meet with staff and administration throughout April to prepare for their new roles and ensure “a smooth transition.”

The new members also will need to attend a state-mandated training seminar May 10.