This Just In | D209 Race Takes A Turn, Board Considers Renaming Proviso East
Jenny Barbahen takes a slight lead over Theresa Kelly a day before D209 board considers renaming Proviso East and the West Amphitheater
Theresa Kelly receives flowers from students at the Proviso East football stadium dedication in 2021. | File
The longest-serving board member in Proviso Township High School District 209 history is in the fight of her political career.
On Monday evening, Theresa Kelly, a D209 board member for 24 years, had nine fewer votes than Jennifer Wenzel Barbahen. The update comes nearly a week after the April 4 election and as more mail-in and absentee ballots have been counted.
The two are fighting for one of three open seats on the board. If Barbahen, a member of the Proviso 209 United slate, retains her slight lead over Kelly, it would be a clean sweep for her slate. United members David Ocampo and Sandra Lee Hixson received the most votes among the eight people in the race, garnering 5,964 and 5,385, respectively. Barbahen has 4,801 while Kelly has 4,792. On election night, Kelly was leading Barbahen by 80 votes.
A screenshot of the vote tally on the Cook County Clerk’s website, as of around 6 p.m. on Monday, April 10.
“Every time we get an update, it puts me closer or in the lead, so this was a good step,” said Barbahen during an interview on April 10. “We would have been worried if today didn’t put me neck-and-neck or write above [Kelly]. But there’s still hope. Today, we were expecting the biggest chunk of mail-in ballots, so the outlook is good — I think.”
Kelly said she’ll refrain from commenting on the election until the results are official, adding that the counts have fluctuated day-to-day. When asked if she would request a recount if the official results were still close but showed her down, Kelly said it’s too soon to make that determination.
In Illinois, candidates may request a recount if they received at least 95% of the vote of the winning candidate, according to Ballotpedia. And the recount must be requested within five days after the canvass.
D209 Supt. Henderson suggests changing names of Proviso East High School, Proviso West Amphitheater
District 209 Supt. James Henderson wants the D209 school board to vote in favor of renaming Proviso East and the Proviso West Amphitheater after two influential district alum. The motions will be up for a board vote at the next school board meeting on April 11.
If the board takes up Henderson’s recommendation, Proviso East High School in Maywood would be renamed Proviso East High School Kimberly A. Lightford Campus, after after Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, a Maywood resident and East alum.
“Ms. Lightford is a tireless supporter and champion of Proviso Township High Schools and students across Illinois,” Henderson stated in a board memo, adding that the renaming is “in recognition of her selfless service to the Proviso school community.” Lightford is the first Black woman in Illinois history to serve as Majority Leader.
Henderson also wants to rename the Proviso West Amphitheater after Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, the first Black person in state history to head the Illinois House of Representatives. Welch, who lives in Hillside, grew up in Maywood and Bellwood, and graduated from Proviso West. If the board votes in favor of the measure, the Amphitheater would become the Proviso West High School Emanuel Chris Welch Amphitheater.
In 2021, Henderson recommended that the board vote to rename the football stadium at Proviso East after Theresa Kelly. The board voted 4-2 to accept Henderson’s recommendation, with Kelly voting on the measure.
On Monday, the Proviso 209 United slate release a statement in which they urged incumbent D209 school board members to postpone important motions until after the new school board members are sworn into office.
“Proviso community, the issues before the board are incredibly important and have the potential to impact our district for years to come. We ask that the current school board respect the will of the Proviso community and table important district business until our new board can be sworn-in to serve our students.”