The Kennett Consolidated School District board selected Lenda Carrillo to fill the seat left vacant with the resignation last month of Maribel Garcia.

Carrillo, 41, of Kennett Square, earned six of the board’s nine votes at the May 10 meeting in the Mary D. Lang Kindergarten Center. She defeated Dominic Perigo, a former school board member and current volunteer, who also applied for the position.

She is a clinical supervisor at Behavior Health Systems in the borough. She is a graduate of Kennett High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Pennsylvania State University and her master’s degree in mental health counseling at Immaculata University.

Carrillo has two children, one in seventh grade and one in first grade.

Following her election, she said, “It’s an honor. I’m very happy … beyond happy.”

Among those advocating for her election on the board was board member Dave Kronenberg, who said, “I believe the board is making a statement to the community with this vote. Forty-five percent of the student body is Hispanic, and zero percent of the board is. I think it’s important for the students to have someone to look up to and stand for them.”

Carrillo said she would like to advocate for expanding the diversity of the school district staff to reflect the makeup of the student body.

Carrillo, like all candidates who are selected to fill unexpired terms, will have to run for her seat to retain it in the next election.

In other business, when high school principal Dr. Jeremy Hritz was asked about plans for graduation, he said it would return to the high school after its move to the middle school campus last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It will be on June 11 at 6 p.m. at either the front steps or the stadium. It will be as traditional as possible,” he said.

Superintendent Dr. Dusty Blakey said that new directives from the Chester County Health Department on the use of face masks have relaxed so students will not have to wear them when they are outside and engaged in vigorous sports or other activities.

Board Treasurer Michael Finnegan reported that he had no new figures on the proposed 2021-2022 budget because there has been no recent report on the state budget, which would inform them how much support the district can expect at that level.

Monday’s meeting was the first one to take place in person since the district went to virtual meetings due to the pandemic more than a year ago.