Schools
Dolton 149 Students Celebrate “School Board Members Day”
"School Board Members Day" that honors the more than 6,000 non-paid, elected school board members in Illinois.
(Calumet City, IL)— “Thank you.”
That was the message personally delivered by south suburban Dolton School District 149 students to the board of education members during its monthly meeting on Thursday evening, November 14.
The Calumet City-based district joined communities throughout the state in November to mark the 10th annual “School Board Members Day” that honors the more than 6,000 non-paid, elected school board members in Illinois for their contributions to public schools.
Find out what's happening in South Sidefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“When it comes to public service, school board members are some of the most selfless volunteers around,” said Dolton 149 Superintendent Dr. Shelly Davis-Jones. “They serve without the expectation of a paycheck in a position where they act as guardians of the community’s tax dollars and its most precious resource—our children.”
Students representing each of the district’s elementary schools presented their own personalized expressions of “thanks” to the board, including poems and individualized plaques to board members.
Find out what's happening in South Sidefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“I am deeply thankful to the students for their thoughtfulness and their inspiring remarks,” said Dolton School Board President Darlene Gray Everett, who has served on the board since 1994. “Additionally, I am very appreciative to the moms and dads who supported their children by attending. I feel blessed.”
The Dolton 149 school board has oversight of five elementary schools and three middle schools totaling 2,662 students.
“School board members do more than just attend meetings,” said Dr. Davis-Jones. “They devote a significant amount of their own personal time to the district by attending extracurricular events to support schools and by participating in professional development opportunities to learn how to become better leaders.”
The Dolton 149 board members are: Darlene Gray Everett, president; Lolita Crisler-Liggons, vice-president; Bertha Jolly, secretary; Pamela Eldridge, member; Zacarias Castillo, member; Rayya Ghani, member; and Wilbur Tillman, member.
davidormsby@davidormsby.com