LTHS names Nava to fill board of education vacancy

From staff reports

The Lyons Township High School District 204 Board of Education announced last week that Elvia Nava, of LaGrange Park, had been appointed to the board, effective July 5.

Nava fills the vacancy created by the recent resignation of Julie Swinehart. She will serve until the April 2025 consolidated election.

Nava works in the construction industry as a senior project manager, and holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Illinois, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from National Louis University.

Nava has extensive experience in school volunteer service, through her involvement in the District 102 Parent Advisory Committee, Delegate Assembly Committee, Committee for Equity and Minority Achievement, and Ogden Parent Teacher Committee.

During the application process, Nava said, “I want to be a board member at LTHS because I am passionate about education and would really like the opportunity to influence major decisions that impact our community’s leaders of tomorrow. Education starts with strong leadership, commitment, and dedication. I want to be at the front line in continuing the thriving success that the LTHS Board and Administration has had to date, and to improve in the areas that need attention.”

Board President Dawn Aubert added, “We are grateful to have had so many qualified individuals who responded with willingness to serve, and we are excited to welcome Elvia Nava to the District 204 Board of Education. Elvia’s strong commitment and passion for our students, community, and public education is clearly evident, and we look forward to the experiences, talents and perspectives she will bring to the board table.”

Nava’s selection completed a process, which began on June 2, that included 15 residents submitting applications for the position.

Three of the applicants, David Herndon, Tim Vlcek and Justin Clark, ran unsuccessfully for the school board in the April election.

Interviews of all interested candidates were completed on Monday, June 26, and the board voted unanimously to select Nava at a special meeting on July 5.

Nava is the mother of two sons, one of whom will be a freshman at LTHS this fall.

Nava joins the school board shortly after the Attorney General’s Office issued a rare finding that the board violated the state’s Open Meetings Act and ordered the board to release recordings of two January 23 closed sessions.

The meetings were about a plan that was eventually dropped to sell district-owned land in Willow Springs to a company despite the land not being zoned for industrial use.