About the School Board
The School Board is comprised of seven District 303 residents elected by the community. Key responsibilities of the Board are to provide educational leadership to the school community, uphold the District’s values and priorities consistent with the Strategic Plan, and hire and evaluate the Superintendent to whom is delegated all administrative responsibility and authority. The Board establishes clear and measurable goals and evaluates results.
They adopt and evaluate policies, approve and adopt the School District's annual budget, and involve the community in the life of the District. The District 303 School Board maintains open and honest communication and welcomes your interest and participation. Open lines of communication are vital for providing a positive educational experience for the students who learn in District 303 classrooms each day.
Commitment Statement
Together Building Pathways to Excellence.
Core Values
Belonging: We honor the dignity of each person by accepting, validating, and appreciating them, and by treating every individual fairly.Perseverance: We face and overcome challenges by being determined and resilient and encouraging one another to develop effective, sustainable solutions.
Achievement: We establish high standards, and leverage our talents, time, and resources to produce exceptional work, engage in continuous improvement and attain ambitious goals.
Strategic Priorities
Effective Collaboration: People work interdependently to positively affect student learning and take collective responsibility for the outcomes of District 303 students, staff, families, and our community.Instructional Coherence: Every component of the student academic experience is tightly aligned and designed to advance core grade-level and beyond instruction. We build academic and socio-emotional supports that prepare the way for and extend grade-level learning.
Culture of Dignity: All people hold an immense value that is tied to their humanity, regardless of circumstances, social status, or background.
Board Documents
School Board
President
Mr. Joseph Lackner
3N780 Trotter Lane
St. Charles, IL 60175
(630) 235-9455
Mr. Lackner was appointed to the School Board on March 8, 2021, to fill a vacancy, then elected in 2023. His term will expire in 2027. Mr. Lackner and his wife, Amy, have four children who are are have attended District 303 schools. They chose to move to St. Charles because of District 303's strong reputation for academic excellence.
Mr. Lackner is a senior partner in the industrial products and automotive practice in a global management consulting firm. He has spent nearly 30 years helping Fortune 500 companies define and implement effective growth strategies. He has been an internet entrepreneur and he is an active writer and lecturer on business and industrial marketing. He has recently delivered lectures on pricing, innovation, and industrial marketing at business schools including Xavier University's Williams School, Loyola University Chicago's Quinlan School for Business, and the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. He has published in professional and academic periodicals including the Journal for Business and Industrial Marketing. Mr. Lackner earned a BA from the University of Chicago.
Vice President
Mr. Thomas Lentz
(630) 934-6152
Mr. Lentz was elected to the School Board in 2023 to a two-year term which expires in 2025. Mr. Lentz is an information technology and management consultant. He resides in South Elgin with his wife and three children who attend District 303 Schools. With a background in Salesforce.com, enterprise resource planning, and marketing technologies, he has expertise in both education and financial services. Since moving to the district in 2019,
Thomas has actively participated in the School Board's Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC), contributing to key facilities planning initiatives.
Mr. Lentz is an Honors Scholar, and holds a Bachelor's in Accounting and Business Management from North Central College.
Secretary
Mr. Matthew Kuschert
7N959 Northern Dancer Lane
St. Charles, IL 60175
(630) 363-0180
Mr. Kuschert has lived in St. Charles with his wife, Jaime, and their two children, Danny and Allie since 2016. He and his family moved to St. Charles due to the beautiful community and wonderful reputation of the school system. Mr. Kuschert was appointed to the D303 Board of Education in December, 2021 and elected in April, 2023 for a four-year term.
With extensive experience as a small business owner and operator, NCAA coach, talent management professional, and various positions in the higher education sphere, Mr. Kuschert brings balanced and versatile experience to address the challenges facing our schools in the District. In his time on the Board, Mr. Kuschert has served as Co-Chair for Policy, Safety, and Learning & Teaching among other initiatives. He leverages his graduate degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology to bring an even-keeled, solutions-driven approach to all challenges. He is committed to a servant leadership style to represent all stakeholders within the District.
Member
Mrs. Kate Bell
(773) 251-5333
Mrs. Bell was elected to the School Board in 2021 and is serving her first term, which will expire in 2025.
Member
Mrs. Heidi Fairgrieve
37W340 Red Gate Rd.
St. Charles, IL 60175
(319) 270-1414
Mrs. Fairgrieve was elected to the School Board in 2017. She was re-elected in 2021 and is serving her second four-year term which expires in 2025.
Mrs. Fairgrieve and her husband, David, have two daughters currently attending District 303 schools.
Mrs. Fairgrieve has Masters of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science, Accounting degrees from Arizona State University. She earned a Global Leadership Certificate from Thunderbird School of International Management.
Mrs. Fairgrieve is a working professional in the banking industry and serves on a Diversity & Inclusion Council. She is currently a mentor in the Chicago Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization, a Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois Troop Leader, and an active PTO member at two District 303 schools. Mrs. Fairgrieve continues to support Junior Achievement, March of Dimes, and United Way.
Member
Mrs. Becky McCabe
3035 Meadow Drive
St. Charles, IL 60175
(630) 276-9528
Becky McCabe is a retired educator who is currently working part-time for DuPage Regional Office of Education as a school improvement coach to elementary principals in DuPage County. She taught primary grades for over 15 years in the Urbana-Champaign school districts and was very active in the teachers association leadership.
Becky moved into administration as the principal at Leal Elementary in Urbana and was Illinois Principal of the Year and National Distinguished Principal in 2004. Becky became Division Administrator for Student Assessment at the Illinois State Board for three years before becoming Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in the DeKalb School District.
She finished her career in St. Charles CUSD 303 as Area Assistant Superintendent for Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Throughout her career, she led hundreds of workshops on assessment, instruction, classroom management, and leadership. Becky has a Masters and Advanced Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Mrs. McCabe and her husband, Ken, have two grown sons whose families live in St. Charles. They have four grandchildren - two of whom will be in the District 303 schools next year.
Her term will expire in 2027.
Member
Mr. Edward McNally
24 Horne St.
St. Charles, IL 60174
(630) 220-1065
Mr. McNally was elected to the School Board in 2013. He is serving his third four-year term which expires in 2025.
Contact boardofeducation@d303.org to communicate with all the School Board members
