New Trier School Board seeking new member following resignation

A year into her second term, Wilmette resident Kimberly Alcantara has resigned from the New Trier Township High School Board of Education.

Alcantara, who was first elected in 2021 and reelected in 2025, said “personal family reasons” led her to step down, according to her resignation letter, which the school district provided to The Record.

Elaborating to The Record, Alcantara — an attorney and former Wilmette District 39 School Board member — said she and her family are navigating health challenges and “instead of missing meetings and feeling unprepared, I’d rather the board have a full roster to give business the attention it deserves.”

Her resignation letter to the board says, “I have truly enjoyed our time working together on important issues to support our students, teachers and community. During my five years on the Board, we have advanced New Trier’s strategic goals, including expanding opportunities for students; improving our facilities and making sure New Trier is a place where everyone knows that they belong.”

In both of her successful campaigns, Alcantara was slated by the New Trier School Board Caucus. She was among a group of four caucus-slated candidates who handily won a contested race in 2021. In the most recent local elections in 2025, Alcantara and the caucus slate went unchallenged.

Alcantara called serving on the New Trier School board an honor and identified the high school’s east-side/athletic wing renovations as a highlight.

“It was certainly a very satisfying accomplishment, a very tangible, great contribution to current students, future students, faculty and the community,” she said. “It was a really shining and physical example of great work on behalf of large groups of people.”

In a statement, Board President Jean Hahn praised Alcantara’s overall efforts on the governing body.

“Her insightful questions and commitment to assuring students are supported in every step of the high school journey have enriched our decision-making,” Hahn said.

The School Board is seeking applications to fill Alcantara’s open seat, and interested parties can apply online by 5 p.m. May 15.

A press release from the district says the School Board hopes to interview candidates “in the coming weeks.” The board’s policy manual gives the body up to 60 days to fill the vacancy via a public vote at a School Board meeting, and a tentative vote reportedly is planned for the board’s June meeting.

The manual also shares details on board-member qualifications, including residency requirements.

The appointed board member will serve until the next local election in April 2027, and the elected candidate will replace the appointed member and serve out the remainder of Alcantara’s term, ending in 2029.

Speaking to School Board members in her resignation letter, Alcantara wrote:

“You have important work ahead of you, and I regret that I won’t be at the Board table to help guide it. However, I have no doubt that this Board and future Boards will continue to be a model of collaboration and civil discourse in maintaining New Trier’s tradition of excellence while continuing to adapt and evolve for the future.”

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