Appointed Lincolnwood School District 74 board member resigns, expected to be replaced by April: officials

Lincolnwood School District 74 wrapped up accepting applications Monday for a seat on the school board that came about after one member resigned last month with a year left in her term.

Asma Shakir Farhan was appointed to a four-year term on the school board in June 2015 after a trio of longtime members retired months before and the election that year yielded only two people to fill three empty seats.

Farhan could not be reached for comment about why she resigned.

School Dist. 74 officials said she stepped down as of Feb. 28.

Farhan was a Lincolnwood resident with a background as a high school teacher that spanned more than a decade, school district officials said June 8, 2015 when she was appointed during a special school board meeting.

At that time, school board President Scott Anderson said Farhan was one of eight people to apply for the board seat.

"Any one of [the candidates] would have been a good choice, but if you consider that our primary objective is to prepare our students for high school and beyond, having a high school teacher on our board helps us analyze and ask the right questions about articulation between our curriculum and the high school curriculum," Anderson said when Farhan was appointed.

However, following Farhan's resignation last month, Scott would declined to comment in detail about why she stepped down.

"We will conduct interviews on March 19 and will plan to seat the new board member at our April board meeting," he said.

School board officials announced March 1 that applications were being accepted to fill the vacated seat.

The person chosen for this role would serve on the School District 74 board of education through April 2019 – the remainder of Farhan's term. Though she was originally appointed to the seat, she would have had to run in 2019 to remain on the school board.

Lincolnwood School Dist. 74 includes Todd Hall and Rutledge Hall elementary schools and Lincoln Hall middle school.

Supt. Kimberly Nasshan also would not comment on the reason for Farhan's departure.

"One of our board members stepped aside and we're moving along and getting ready to do interviews for any applicant that applies," Nasshan said.

According to criteria the school district announced, eligible applicants must be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old. Applicants should also be an Illinois resident and have lived within the school district – which serves the village of Lincolnwood – for at least one year prior to the potential appointment.

Along with the application, those interested in the seat had to provide a resume, letter of intent and a statement of economic interest.

Further, applicants should be registered to vote, officials said.

Certain exclusions were listed, as well, including people who are registered sex offenders or anyone holding another "incompatible" public office, officials announced.

A new board member is expected to appointed at the April 4 meeting, school district officials said.

Kyra Senese is a freelancer.