A new member was appointed on Monday to fill a vacancy on the Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School District 307 School Board.

The member is Samantha Czako of Bourbonnais.

Czako is a 2008 Manteno High School graduate. She works as a supply chain director for CSL.

She was one of six who applied to fill the vacancy left by the board’s former president, Justin Caldwell, who resigned to avoid a conflict of interest after accepting a position with the Illinois Association of School Boards.

Jim Patterson, current board president, said the board selected two of the six applicants to interview.

“We had great applicants,” he said. “She’s fitting a spot that we really needed in the board, that we felt was a missing spot from Mr. Caldwell.”

Czako was selected to serve the remaining two years from Caldwell’s unexpired term, until April 2027.

Czako has lived in Kankakee County her entire life and in Bourbonnais for 11 years.

“I’ve always had a passion for education, but I’m not a teacher,” she said. “I finally felt, with my career and where I’m at and my children getting older, I finally have something of value to offer. I really wanted to play a bigger role in the community.”

Czako said she would like the board to continue in the direction it is already going.

“We’ve had a lot of really good wins over the last couple of years,” she said. “I want to make sure I keep that momentum, and step in with the Building Better project and lend some of my services there where I can.”

After the board approved Czako’s appointment, she read an oath of office and was seated.

The board then reorganized its officer positions.

The board elected Ann Brezinski to serve as vice president and Lubow Lewicky to serve as secretary.