Board of Education

District 99 Board of Education Members: DGN Student Member Rehan Hashim, Member Kara Casten, Board President Don Renner, Member Sherell Fuller, Board Vice President Terry Pavesich, Members Christopher Espinoza, Jennie Hagstrom, Ken Dawson, DGS Student Member Jason Trejo and Superintendent Dr. Hank Thiele

Don Renner, President - drenner@csd99.org
Re-Elected: 2023 (previously served 2015-2019)     Current Term Expires: 2027
Open Meetings Act training completed May 2023; Professional Development Leadership Training (PDLT) and Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Training for School Board Members completed May 2023.

Terry Pavesich, Vice President - tpavesich@csd99.org 
First Elected: 2005     Current Term Expires: 2025
Open Meetings Act training completed March 2012; Professional Development Leadership Training (PDLT) and Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Training for School Board Members completed February 2014.

Kara Casten - kcasten@csd99.org
First Elected: 2023     Current Term Expires: 2027
Open Meetings Act training completed June 2023; Professional Development Leadership Training (PDLT) and Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Training for School Board Members completed February 2024.

Ken Dawson - kdawson@csd99.org
First Elected: 2023     Current Term Expires: 2027
Open Meetings Act training completed July 2023; Professional Development Leadership Training (PDLT) and Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Training for School Board Members completed March 2024.

Christopher Espinoza - cespinoza@csd99.org
First Elected: 2021     Current Term Expires: 2025
Open Meetings Act training completed July 2021; Professional Development Leadership Training (PDLT) and Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Training for School Board Members completed July 2021.

Sherell Fuller - sfuller@csd99.org
First Elected: 2017     Current Term Expires: 2025
Open Meetings Act training completed July 2017; Professional Development Leadership Training (PDLT) and Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Training for School Board Members completed July 2017.

Jennie Hagstrom - jhagstrom@csd99.org 
First Elected: 2021     Current Term Expires: 2025
Open Meetings Act training completed July 2021; Professional Development Leadership Training (PDLT) and Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) Training for School Board Members completed August 2021.

Student Board Members for 2024-25: DGN Rehan Hashim and DGS Jason Trejo

Board Responsibilities

Our schools are governed by a 7-member Board of Education. These elected members are unpaid volunteers who serve 4-year, staggered terms. Board Members are elected to represent the voices and opinions of the community, and set the policies of the district. The Board’s job is to:

• Adopt policies on school operations and Board practices.
• Adopt and assess goals that meet the state requirements and reflect the community’s needs.
• Adopt a budget that provides resources necessary to pursue its goals.
• Select and evaluate the Superintendent, who manages the schools.
• Approve purchases, contracts, curriculum, textbooks and personnel appointments.
• Negotiate with employee groups and approve their contracts.

The Board President and Vice President are elected by the Board itself, and serve a 2-year term. The recording secretary is a district employee and acts at the direction of the Board.

No single member of the Board has legal authority. The Board may only make decisions or give directions as a 7-member Board.

Superintendent Responsibilities

The Superintendent is a professional educator hired by the Board of Education to carry out its goals, implement its policies and oversee the day-to-day operations of the district. The Superintendent’s job is to:

• Serve as Chief Executive Officer.
• Manage the daily operations of the school district.
• Implement Board decisions and policies.
• Interpret needs and make recommendations to improve the educational program.
• Recommend all personnel appointments.

We ask that students, parents, community members and staff submit their comments and questions for the school board through the superintendent, who will then notify the Board. Or you may choose to:

• Contact all members of the Board of Education directly at BoardMembers@csd99.org
• Contact individual members of the Board; email addresses are listed under the Meet the Board Members tab

NOTE: If you choose to contact an individual board member directly, your message may be shared with the superintendent and other board members.  (See board policy regarding Communications.)