Pekin School Board has four seats up for election

The Pekin School Board has four seats up for election next week, an at-large currently held by Kortney Baumberger, District 1 held by JD Olinger, District 3 held Ray Fear, and District 5 held by JJ Greiner.

In the at-large position, Kortney Baumberger is running for re-election. A 2007 Pekin graduate, she has been on the school board since 2021.

In District 1, JD Olinger will be seeking re-election after being appointed to the position in 2025 to fill a vacancy that opened midterm.

District 3, currently held by Ray Fear, has no one on the ballot.

In District 5, incumbent JJ Greiner is being challenged by Linda Brock.

Greiner, who has served on the board for five years, is a Pekin graduate with children attending Pekin. He has been a volunteer firefighter for the Packwood Fire Department since 2014, been a Polk Township trustee since 2016, and served on the Board of Directors for the African Violet Foundation for the last nine years.

According to his Facebook profile, Greiner feels he can continue to provide the community with a voice that will be heard. He will continue to ensure, to the best of his ability, that Pekin remains a safe place for children to receive a top-notch education. He will continue to support teachers and staff in every way he can to make sure they have the resources necessary to equip students with the knowledge required to succeed after graduation.

Brock, who has grandchildren in the Pekin School District, has had a 37-year career in education. This includes roles as superintendent of the Fort Dodge Community School District and director of special education and assistant superintendent in the Fort Madison Community School District. She also has been an adjunct professor in educational leadership at Western Illinois University, as well as an internship field supervisor. Brock recently stepped out of retirement to assist the Oskaloosa School District during the 24-25 school year as a principal when an accident left them with a vacancy in that position.

From her Facebook page, Brock says she wants to give back to the community by serving on the school board. She feels she has spent her life helping kids grow and will always put students first in every decision. Brock wants to serve with compassion, collaboration, and care for every student, staff member, and family. She feels we need to listen to the constituents of this community, as well as the students, and do everything we can within our power to bring them the best possible education available.