Election Spotlight: Heritage School Board

KIMBERLY KENILEY-ASHBROOK

Why did you decide to run for school board?

Volunteering, community service, education, and giving back to the community are important to our family and serving on the school board is a natural fit for my skillset. Having served three terms on the board, I bring historical perspective to our work. I love making connections in the community and am passionate about education.

What is the biggest challenge facing the district?

We are always assessing how our student enrollment numbers, student needs, and community needs impact the services we can offer and the educational experience we provide all students in the district, while also supporting staff and maintaining a balanced budget. Finding the balance of offering an excellent, safe, and robust educational experience for ALL kids, while making Heritage a place you want to work and live, while staying on budget while implementing changes from the state and federal government, that’s the ultimate challenge.

What are your goals for the next four years?

To continue look for opportunities to amplify the accomplishments of Heritage, while looking for areas of improvement. Communication with our community and stakeholders is important, as is transparency. I’m always looking for ways to make connections and bring stakeholder voices to the table, in an accessible, transparent, and respectful way. We need to do some strategic planning and goal setting as a school board and a school district and as a result, do some policy work to align our policies to our goals. I’m thinking about not just best practice in education but best practice that’s best for Heritage.

How would you describe the actual job of a school board member?

We talk a lot about staying in the balcony, not on the dance floor when school boarding. You must take your parent hat off, lean in and listen, let go of any agendas, and work as a group to write policy that meets your goals for the district. It’s also important to develop a working relationship with your district Superintendent. I encourage stakeholders to attend school board meetings. “I’m one of seven” is a quote to live by when school boarding.

What would you like the public to know about you?

It’s been a minute since I’ve been in the public eye! I like to operate behind the scenes at work and in the community. Plus, my four boys keep me busy. You’ll often see me as school events either with a clipboard in hand helping with the Heritage PTC (I do a mean Jr. High dance party), Booster Club, Post Prom committee, or with a steamer in hand helping with costumes at Heritage musicals (The Adams Family this May!). I’ve worked as a teacher, as a project director for a national education organization, was the former owner of a brick-and-mortar shore in Homer, wrote newspaper columns the The Leader, worked at the hyperlocal website Chambanamoms, and now I work in social media at Carle Health. I served two terms as Vice Chair of the Illini Division of Illinois Association of School Boards and am finishing my second term as Chair of the Illini Division.

ZACH WELLS

Why did you decide to run for school board?

I decided to run for my second term on the school board to continue the work of listening to the voices of Heritage that need to be heard. As a product of Heritage CUSD#8 I feel that this is one way I can give back to the district and communities it serves. 

What is the biggest challenge facing the district?

Going forward, one of our challenges within the district is access to high-quality internet.

What are your goals for the next four years?

How would you describe the actual job of a school board member?

My job as a school board member is attending monthly meetings, communicating with administrations and the board, and being a part of the community. My family and I try to attend as many school-related functions as we can. 

What do you want the public to know about you?

I feel strongly about public service and being involved in the community. I previously sat on the Village of Homer Board of Trustees for 6 years. Currently, I am the President of the Homer Sports Commission, and I also sit on the Board of Directors for Premier Cooperative. Being involved with the community you live in is something I take pride in.