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Fox River Grove School District 3

Excellence Every Day

Board of Education

District 3 Board of Education logo with an eagle emblem.

The Fox River Grove District 3 Board of Education consists of seven elected officials who each serve a four-year term. Board elections are held during April in odd-numbered years as part of the consolidated election cycle.

Governance is the board's main function, which is charged with establishing goals, determining policies, ensuring the district provides an environment conducive to learning, and evaluating education programs. For additional information on the role of the Board, review the Role of the Board document.

Board members represent the entire community, and as such, they value the input of community members. However, some topics are more efficiently addressed by contacting another District 3 contact. To aid community members in determining the best way to resolve a concern, the district has developed Communication Guidelines. We encourage as a first step for all school community members to contact the individual staff member or building principal as appropriate. Questions and concerns can be handled in a more timely manner with appropriate personnel when this occurs. After reviewing the Communication Guidelines, if applicable, please don't hesitate to send an email to the Board at boe@dist3.org or Superintendent Dr. Matt Mayer at mayerm@dist3.org

Please note: if a question can be answered by a member of the administrative staff, the message will be referred to the appropriate person for a response.

The Board understands that it is not always possible for a school community member to attend a regularly scheduled board meeting. Board documents may be found under the "Documents" section of the website.

However, we encourage as a first step for all school community members to contact the individual staff member, building principal, or superintendent of schools as appropriate. Questions and concerns can be handled in a more timely manner with appropriate personnel when this occurs.

District 3 Board of Education Members

Melissa Brennan
President (2023-2027)

Melissa Brennan was first elected to the Fox River Grove School District 3 Board of Education in 2019 and has proudly served as Board President since 2021. She has lived in Fox River Grove for 18 years with her husband and two daughters, and her family has come to deeply appreciate the strong sense of community and small-town charm that define the village. She values how the schools reflect that same spirit.

Professionally, Melissa has dedicated over 26 years to working with children and adolescents in various settings. She is currently in her 18th year as a school psychologist, bringing a wealth of experience in education and mental health to her role on the Board. She is grateful for the opportunity to apply that expertise in service to the students, staff, and families of District 3.

In her free time, Melissa enjoys fishing, photography, and gardening. She looks forward to continuing her work on the Board and supporting the Fox River Grove community in meaningful ways.

Email: brennanm@dist3.org

Katie Koll
Member (2023-2027)

Katie Koll has been living in Fox River Grove since 2018. She has served on the District 3 School Board since 2021. Katie graduated in 2010 from Augustana, earning Bachelor’s in English and Spanish. In 2012, she earned an M.S.Ed. from Northwestern. She was an elementary school teacher in Palatine and Des Plaines from 2012-2018. Now, Katie is a Lactation Consultant and owns a private practice. She also volunteers as a Breastfeeding Counselor with Breastfeeding USA, which includes free support groups twice a month at our very own Fox River Grove Memorial Library. Katie loves podcasts and audiobooks, singing alto with the Schaumburg Choral Artists, and enjoying friends and family. Katie is married to Tim Koll, a choir director at Conant High School. They have two children in the district. Katie values every conversation with the board, community, students, staff, and administration, knowing each one helps build a stronger education system together.

Email: KollK@dist3.org

Leigh Ann Comerford
Member (2025-2029)

Leigh Ann Comerford has lived in Fox River Grove since 2018. She will have two children at ARS next year. She received a Bachelor in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Masters in Literacy Instruction from Northeastern University. She was a teacher for 10 years in Berkeley and Highland Park, and she currently stays at home to care for her children. Leigh Ann’s husband, Mike, is a high school chemistry teacher. Leigh Ann’s hobbies include gardening with native plants, cycling, and most outdoor activities. She is excited to use her experience in education to help support our students and schools.

Email: comerfordle@dist3.org

Dave Gutierrez
Member (2025-2029)

Dave Gutierrez has been a Fox River Grove resident along with his wife and two children since 2018. He has a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA in Business Leadership from Loyola University Chicago, and he works in the transportation industry as Vice President of Sales at OLIMP Warehousing in Buffalo Grove. He enjoys serving on the board to give something back to the community and support the district's mission.

Email: dgutierrez@dist3.org

Tom Mollet
Member (2023-2027)

Tom Mollet joined the School Board in 2005, following several years as PTO Treasurer. During his nearly 20 years on the Board, he has served on various key committees, including the Negotiations Committee (twice), the Joint Advisory Team, and the Consolidation Exploration Committee, most recently holding the position of Vice President. Mr. Mollet brings a strong financial focus to the Board, drawing from his extensive experience and education, which includes a BS in Finance and an MBA.

Mr. Mollet's vision for the District is to maintain its recognition as one of the "Best Schools in Chicago," a distinction it received in Chicago Magazine during the 2010-2011 school year, while also continuing to achieve financial recognition from the State of Illinois. His work on the Board centers on balancing the commitment to provide the best education for Fox River Grove students, cultivate a strong and highly competent school workforce, and deliver the greatest value to Fox River Grove taxpayers.

Throughout his tenure, the District has experienced periods of both struggle and flourishing, yet it remains a great place for students to learn and grow.

Email: mollett@dist3.org

Lauren Vanderploeg
Member (2025-2029)

Laura has lived in Fox River Grove since 2010. She has two District 3 students, Landon 5th grade and Brooke 4th grade. Since 2023 she has served on the District 3 School Board, participating on the strategic planning committee as well as the policy committee. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Education from Illinois State University and has been a middle school Spanish teacher for 17 years in Palatine.

As an educator, she brings knowledge and real-life experiences to improve the teaching and learning framework.

Her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership helps guide decisions made to support our students and staff.

Email:lvanderploeg@dist3.org

Board of Education Meeting Schedule

Meetings are held at 7:00 pm in the Middle School Collaborative Learning Center.

2025 – 2026

  • July 21, 2025
  • August 18, 2025
  • September 22, 2025
  • October 20, 2025
  • November 17, 2025
  • December 15, 2025
  • January 26, 2026
  • February 23, 2026
  • March 16, 2026
  • April 20, 2026
  • May 18, 2026
  • June 15, 2026

2026 – 2027

  • July 20, 2026
  • August 17, 2026
  • September 28, 2026
  • October 19, 2026
  • November 16, 2026
  • December 14, 2026
  • January 25, 2027
  • February 22, 2027
  • March 22, 2027
  • April 26, 2027
  • *May 3, 2027
  • May 24, 2027
  • June 21, 2027
    (* Board Reorganization)

Board of Education Quick Links

The following document shows the certification and training done by the District 3 Board of Education

Board Meeting Agendas (Before 2024)

Vendor Contracts/Agreements

The following list of vendors are under a contract/agreement that may exceed $25,000 per year as of June 30, 2025:

  • American Capital
  • Anthromed LLC
  • Applied Communications
  • C Acitelli Heating & Piping
  • CESO Communications LLC
  • Chadwick Contracting
  • Dyopath
  • Gorenstein, Reesa
  • Hya Corporation
  • Midwest Transit Equipment
  • Ringers Services, Inc
  • University of IL at Chicago
  • Weatherguard Roofing Co
Vendors Certified as Minority, Women, or Veteran Owned
Vendor Type of Ownership Holds a Certification Self-Certifies
CAG Solutions Inc. Minority Owned   X
Eccezion Ltd. Women Owned   X
Global Compliance Network Women Owned   X
Hopkins Grease Co. Minority Owned   X
Pro-Type Printing Inc. Women Owned   X
DanceWerks Women Owned   X
Psyched Solutions Women Owned   X