Meet the Candidates: Township School District 113 Board of Education (Uncontested)

Three current board members and one newcomer are ready to be seated on the Township School District 113 Board of Education.

Incumbents Rick Heineman and Jaime Barraza are seeking second terms on the board; Jenny Lupa, who was appointed in 2024, is seeking a full term; and Alexander Brunk, a current member of the North Shore District 112 School Board, is running for an unexpired two-year seat.

Below are basic profiles of the candidates, each of whom either submitted a digital form upon request from The Record or the League of Women Voters of Highland Park-Highwood, for the group’s Election Guide.

These profiles are a layer of The Record’s election coverage and are meant to provide community members with basic information about those running for and taking public office. The Record will not conduct independent interviews for uncontested races.

TWO-YEAR TERM

Name: Alexander Brunk

Residence: Highland Park

Professional experience: Data scientist

Community experience/involvement: North Shore School District 112 Board of Education (2017-present); president, NSSD112 Board of Education (2021-23)

Why are you running for this public office?

After serving eight years on the NSSD112 Board of Education, I believe that I can bring the experience and skills I have gained to Township District 113. I want to ensure that our high schools continue to offer the kind of high quality education that our community expects.

FOUR-YEAR TERM

Name: Jenny Lupa

Residence: Highland Park

Professional experience: Actor (voice, stage)

Community experience/involvement: I’ve been a member of District 113’s board since March 2024. In that time, I’ve become a member of the Finance Committee and I’m also the District 113 representative for the TrueNorth Leadership Council. I also serve on the board of The Youth Chorus of the North Shore.

Why are you running for this public office?

Working together with my fellow board members and our superintendent, I hope to continue to improve our district for the benefit of our students, staff and wider community. As a district we must support every student, every day. We need to equip our students to attain state and national expectations, while also ensuring our students are making as much progress as they can. In these unsettling times, I want to do everything I can to make sure District 113 is a place our students and staff can come to — and feel welcomed, safe, and appreciated for the people they are.

(Information taken from League of Highland Park-Highwood Voters Guide. View full profile here.)

Name: Jaime Barraza

Professional experience: Chief education officer at the Education Research and Development Institute; former teacher and district administrator

Community experience/involvement: Current vice president of District 113 Board of Education

Why are you running for reelection to this public office?

In the next term, District 113 must focus on key priorities to support students, staff, and the community. Building an inclusive school community has been a top priority for the superintendent and cabinet this year. The district is currently undergoing a process to update the strategic plan, which will help ensure … academic excellence, community engagement, student mental health and wellbeing, a safe school community, and financial stability.

(Information taken from League of Highland Park-Highwood Voters Guide. View full profile here.)

Name: Rick Heineman

Professional experience: MBA, worked in marketing, sales administration, marketing research, and information systems management.

Community experience/involvement: Served on committees in both Districts 113 and 112, starting in 1985 in the Lincoln School PTO. Been chair of both the Facilities and Finance committees and currently chair Facilities.

Why are you running for reelection to this public office?

Our main task is to support our new superintendent. We are moving from a period of consolidation to one of rapid change. There is much to do, and I believe that I continue to add value. Our mission is to maintain an unwavering commitment to providing all students with opportunities to realize their unique potential through a rigorous and engaging curriculum, meaningful relationships, varied experiences, a positive school culture, and the cultivation of individual passion and resilience. The district aims to provide each student with the opportunities and support needed to reach their unique potential. Achieving this is going to be challenging in the current political environment.

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