A member referred to "strained relationships," while another hailed the board for a "fantastic" job.
David Giuliani, Patch Staff
|Updated Tue, May 6, 2025 at 7:33 am CT
HINSDALE, IL – The Hinsdale High School District 86 board continued a post-election tradition Monday – dividing over its pick for president.
In a 5-2 vote, the board decided to keep President Catherine Greenspon, who has held the job for two years.
This was after four new members – Bobby Fischer, Baron Leacock, Liz Mitha and Mary Satchwell – took the oath of office. They prevailed in the April 1 election.
They replaced departing members Peggy James, Heather Kartsounes, Abed Rahman and Terri Walker, none of whom sought new terms.
Catherine Greenspon (left) was elected by her colleagues for another year as the president of the Hinsdale High School District 86 board. Next to her during a meeting break Monday is Deb Kedrowski, the district's administrative chief of staff. (David Giuliani/Patch)
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Mitha nominated Satchwell for president; the two ran as a team in the election.
Mitha noted her colleague's more than 20 years as a special education teacher, psychologist and professor. She also pointed to Satchwell's eight years on the Maercker School District 60 board, including serving as its president.
Satchwell was also the highest vote-getter in the election.
"District 86 has experienced much change over the last several years. I thank President Greenspon for helping navigate some huge changes since her election in 2023," Mitha said.
But Mitha said some changes have resulted in "strained relationships" between the board and the community and the staff.
"Electing Mary Satchwell will provide an immediate reset in these relationships and enable the board to collaborate better and meet students' needs effectively," Mitha said.
Fischer, who nominated Greenspon, said he agreed with Mitha about Satchwell.
"We're lucky to have two strong candidates," he said. "This board has done fantastic work, and I wanted to support this board's work going forward."
The safest way to do that, he said, was to pick someone who has been on the board.
Board member Jeff Waters, who was unopposed in his re-election for a two-year term, said he supported Greenspon for a third year as president.
The community, he said, was under the impression that the board was "out of whack," "not aligned," or experiencing some drama.
"A lot of that comes out falsely, digitally, where stories are often incomplete or underquoted and very misrepresentative of the collaboration that the board president has driven," Waters said.
He also referred to public comments earlier in the meeting in support of Greenspon.
During the comment period, resident Kim Notaro, who has long attended board meetings, credited the Greenspon-led board with ousting the former superintendent, hiring a new one, stopping "wholesale curriculum overhauls," increasing students' access to opportunities and making data-driven decisions.
"That's significant progress," Notaro said. "That's thanks to all of you having a collaborative spirit. There is no majority or minority on the board."
In the vote, Satchwell and Mitha dissented on Greenspon's nomination.
The board voted 4-3 for Fischer for vice president. Mitha nominated Satchwell, who board member Asma Akhras also supported.
Mitha was elected secretary by acclamation.
Later, the board held a closed session, citing litigation as the exception under the state's open meetings law.
The board's attorney, Felicia Frazier of the Odelson law firm, was present.
After previous elections, the board saw split decisions over its president.
In 2021, three factions nominated candidates for board president. After 10 ballots, a 4-3 majority picked Terri Walker.
Two years later, the newly elected Greenspon defeated then-member Debbie Levinthal with a 4-3 vote.
Baron Leacock (middle) and Mary Satchwell, new members of the Hinsdale High School District 86 board, check out their district computers Monday during a meeting break. They were getting pointers from district employee Sam Norris. (David Giuliani/Patch)
Kathleen Hirsman, who left the Hinsdale High School District 86 board in 2023, speaks with Peggy James, whose term just ended Monday night, during a break in the meeting. (David Giuliani/Patch)
Terri Walker, outgoing member of the Hinsdale High School District 86, greets new members Monday. (David Giuliani/Patch)
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