Jessica Riddick was elected president of the Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21 Board of Education during the board’s April 24 reorganizational meeting, a unanimous decision that followed a series of officer appointments and a ceremony swearing in a newly appointed member.

The board first appointed Debbie McAtee to serve as president pro tem and Bill Harrison as secretary pro tem before electing Riddick by roll-call vote. The board then elected Debbie McAtee as vice president and Degmarra Kalinowski as board secretary. Members voted unanimously on each office.

The reorganizational votes set leadership for the coming year and were followed by routine organizational items, including setting regular meeting times for the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. The board also re-adopted the district’s policy manual by roll-call vote.

Later in the meeting the board appointed Ileana Guzman to fill the vacancy left by Stacy Allen for the term ending April 2027. Guzman, a parent of district students active on the district’s Bilingual Parents Council and a participant in the most recent strategic planning process, took the oath of office that cites the U.S. Constitution, the Illinois Constitution and state law. The motion to appoint Guzman passed by board vote.

The board conducted the roll-call votes publicly. Officials who cast votes in favor of the officer elections and appointment were recorded on the meeting record during each roll call.

The reorganizational items were procedural, focused on leadership and governance; no policy changes were proposed as part of the officer elections or the appointment of Guzman.

Board members said they plan to publish committee and liaison assignments at the May meeting and asked members to submit ranked committee preferences in the coming weeks.