D100 School Board | YOUR Berwyn

D100 School Board Candidates

Equity Experience Excellence

Collective experience of 89 years working with children

Get to Know Us

Elizabeth. Summer. Amanda. Janel. Jonathan.

We are your neighbors.

We are long-time Berwyn residents.

We are active community leaders.

Together we bring close to a century of collective experience working with children.

We want to take our talents, rooted in equity, experience, and excellence, and work with community members like you to address the challenges in South Berwyn School District 100 and build a stronger school district for our children.

Our Platform

Increase Teacher Retention
- Approximately 20% of teachers leave District 100 every year.
- Increase incentives to increase morale
Increase Diversity Among Staff
- Increase equitable hiring practices
Increase Transparency and Accessibility
- Increase community agency
- Strengthen communication on board initiatives
Improve Student Achievement - Data Driven
- Create initiatives to address unfinished learning
Improve Differentiated Academic Programming
- Address diverse needs of all students

Meet the Candidates

Amanda Drenth

Amanda taught in South Berwyn SD100 for the past 8 years, serving for two years as Co-President of the South Berwyn Education Association (SBEA), the local teachers’ union. As a Berwyn teacher, Amanda collaborated with Illinois Safe School Alliance to adopt policies to protect transgender students’ rights at the elementary and middle school levels. Amanda has a track record of strong commitment to serving the students and community in Berwyn.

Elizabeth O. Jimenez

Elizabeth has served on the board of Berwyn South School District 100 since 2015 and is currently the Vice President. She is a proud immigrant, 3rd grade bilingual teacher, and 23-year resident of Berwyn. Elizabeth advocates for public education, equitable education policies at a local, state and national level, and holds the distinction of being the first Latina elected to the BSD100 school board.

Jonathan “Japes” Palles

10-year resident Jonathan is part of a proud Piper Bears family. For 20 years, Jonathan has been dedicated to the needs of children of all abilities and backgrounds. During his time working for D100, he experienced first hand the incredible teaching and learning taking place. Jonathan frequently attends school board meetings bringing forward concerns for both his family and his community.

Janel King

Janel has been a resident of South Berwyn for 16 years, working in culinary management and education as a high school substitute teacher in Proviso District 209 and twenty years as a Sunday School teacher. Janel has volunteered extensively for various community events and organizations in Berwyn. She has diverse experience working with children of all grade levels and is excited to bring that knowledge to the school board.

Summer Butler

Summer has been a mentor and certified ESL teacher for over twenty years. She has taught grades K-9, co-written curriculum and participated on her school’s Leadership & Multi-Cultural Committees. Summer currently serves on the Educator Advisory Council with Advance Illinois, Morton West PTO board, and Awake. She has demonstrated on multiple levels her commitment to creating a positive culture and climate for both her school and community. Summer has been a resident with children in Berwyn schools since 2010.