The West Aurora School District board on Monday night chose Megan Jones, a manager in the Adult Education Department at Waubonsee Community College, to fill the vacancy created when Thomas St. Jules resigned from the board earlier this spring.
St. Jules stepped down from the West Aurora school board in March after being appointed as an associate judge in the 16th Judicial Circuit Court in St. Charles.
St. Jules was midway through his second four-year term on the board. He was originally elected to the board in 2019.
The board accepted letters of interest from prospective candidates as part of a “thorough process” to identify a community member to serve the remainder of the unexpired term, ending in May 2027, district officials said.
Jones is a manager in the Adult Education Department at Waubonsee Community College, where she oversees onboarding and engagement for adult learners and manages faculty compliance processes, district officials said in a statement.
Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and Spanish from Butler University and a master’s degree in business administration from Aurora University.
“I am honored to have been selected to serve the remaining two years of this term on the school board,” Jones said. “As a parent with two daughters in the district, I am committed to doing whatever I can to ensure School District 129 remains strong, vibrant and a place where all students can thrive.”
The district received a “high number” of applications “reflecting strong community interest” and a “well-qualified group of candidates,” district officials said of the selection process.
Jones emerged as the board’s recommended candidate for the May 5 board vote.
In addition to approving Jones for the vacant seat on the board, the three candidates who won four-year seats on the board in the April 1 election – incumbents Richard Kerns II and Julie Stone and challenger Erika Garcia – were sworn in at Monday night’s school board meeting.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon–News.
