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Hintz, Gonzalez earn nods in Delavan-Darien race

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Lori Hintz

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Sharon Gonzalez

DELAVAN — Lori Hintz and Sharon Gonzalez both want to make the Delavan-Darien School District the place to be.

On Tuesday, Hintz and Gonzalez were the winners in a three-person primary for a school board seat that represents the townships of Darien, Sugar Creek and Walworth. They will square off Tuesday, April 3, to determine who wins the seat.

Hintz was appointed to serve on the board after board member Joey Torkelson stepped down Oct. 11.

At that time, the board interviewed three people, and Hintz was picked to serve.

Gonzalez, 41, M4794 Ridge Prairie School Road, Darien Township, was a Delavan-Darien High School graduate. She has two school-age children. Both attend St. Andrew's School, and her son will be a freshman at Delavan-Darien High School next year. This is the first time she has run for public office.

When Gonzalez attended high school, the district "was the place where people wanted to be."

Now, the district struggles to retain students, and Gonzalez worries about losing teachers, too.

Retaining students and good teachers are her top priorities.

Hintz, 39, of N5261 County M, Richmond Township, is also concerned about open enrollment losses.

The district has genuine issues that it needs to address, but it is also struggling with a perception problem, she said.

Hintz hopes that parents and community members will get involved in the schools to see the postive things that are going on.

Both candidates stressed the need for better communication between administrators and teachers, and the schools and the community.