CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago Public Schools officially has new leadership.

The district’s 21-person hybrid board was sworn-in during a historic and exciting meeting Wednesday morning.

Eleven of the members were newly handpicked by Mayor Brandon Johnson while 10 others were elected by voters, a very first for the district.

One of the board’s first orders of business was to elect a new vice president.

One of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointees, Olga Bautista, was elected by the board to serve as vice president.

SEE ALSO: 1st elected CPS Board of Education to be sworn in Wednesday; mayor has yet to name 11th appointee

She won without any discussion, and was also supported by the CTU.

“I wish there would have been able to robust discussion around this,” elected board member Ellen Rosenfeld said.

All members introduced themselves after being sworn in.

There was big applause for elected school board member Che “Rhymefest” Smith. The artist said being elected to the board is the pinnacle of his career, rather than his Academy Awards or Emmys.

Rosenfeld and Smith backed elected member Jessica Biggs for VP. Despite their first loss, they are hopeful the board can find common ground.

“We have a lot more decisions to make together, and I’m positive we are going to be able to move forward with everyone’s ideas,” Smith said.

“People were elected to be here,” CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said.

It was an emotional moment for Davis Gates and some board members, who fought for years for an elected school board

“There is an old saying: First, they laugh at you; then, they fight you. Then, you win,” elected board member Jitu Brown said.

But, one elected member reminded his colleagues winning means putting the needs of students above all else.

“I’m committed to ensuring that I work along with board members to focus on the students and their families independent of any special interest,” elected board member Angel Gutierrez said.

CTU poured money into some of the elected members’ campaigns.

The district is facing a more than $750 million budget deficit, according to a budget watchdog group.

Separately, the new board will have to secure a new Chicago Teachers Union contract.

The CTU says progress is being made, but nothing is finalized yet.

The new hybrid board will be in place for two years. Then, in November of 2026, all board members will be elected.

The CTU said in a statement,

“After decades of fighting forward for the schools our children deserve, the students and families of Chicago finally have leadership at the Chicago Board of Education that is accountable to the people of this great city.

“In 2013, a multi-ethnic, multi-generational and multi-issue coalition came together to have their voices heard in this city’s push to ensure every student had access to a safe, welcoming and thriving neighborhood public school. Often forced to fight back against millionaires, billionaires and private interests, this coalition was united in establishing a board of education controlled by the people. We fought for a board willing to hear the voices of and represent everyday working families. After years of struggle and fighting, today, we celebrate that coalition, their willingness to fight and the fruits of their labor, a democratically elected school board in Chicago.

“The elected and appointed board members take their seats at a critical moment. Currently, only 12 CPS high schools have librarians, and 85% of all CPS schools lack libraries or skilled staff to work in them. Moreover, no neighborhood CPS high school in a majority Black neighborhood offers complete access to Advanced Placement or Honors classes. This year, we started with over three hundred vacancies in special education educator roles.

“These challenges and so much more have put a unique charge on our new board to ratify a contract that guarantees a high-quality school day for all our students and provides our educators with the tools necessary to prepare our students to be thriving leaders of the 21st century. The board will have to hold this CEO accountable to the vision of the district’s 5-year strategic plan, prevent any layoffs or cuts, and ultimately choose a new leader suited for the role.

“Board members will have to be strong advocates for the state funding this district is owed. And they will play a key role in building a forcefield around our school communities to insulate and protect our students from the hateful attacks of the incoming administration. It’s essential this work starts today.”