Ariana Leonard, Camille O’Quin and Tamekia Smith repeated their oath of office as new District 233 school board members before a packed meeting room at Homewood-Flossmoor High School on May 6.
Outgoing board members Michelle Hoereth, Steve Anderson and Cynthia Turnquest shared encouraging words about the camaraderie and respect their fellow members share as they do the hard work setting policy, reviewing curriculua and making financial decisions H-F.
“For the incoming board: Oh wow, you’re in for an adventure!” Turnquest said. “It’s going to be hard work, don’t get me wrong, but it’s good work.”
Anderson moved to a seat in District 233 in 2017 after serving 10 years at Homewood District 153. He remembered the constant verbal sparring between board members the first four years of his term. It was difficult to stay focused when he, as board president, was fending off actions that were “very shocking and not always agenda-driven behavior.” He said sometimes he was left speechless by the comments and innuendo.
The board righted itself when Hoereth and Turnquest were elected in 2021. Each board member brings talents to the board that can benefit others with their decisions. Anderson said Hoereth and Turnquest brought respect back to the table.
For her part, Hoereth, who served six years on board of Flossmoor District 161, said the District 233 members have been able to say it has accomplished much in the past four years. Her focus has always been on pushing forward.
“Our job is to protect every single student, preparing student for greatness,” while recognizing the work of teachers and administrators. “We will pass the baton to you, but just know that you’re coming in to a really, really good place with people who will support you in your journey,” she told the three new members.
Turnquest said she was an observer at District 233 meetings for years. She decided to run for the board not only because she thought she could work toward board harmony, but also because she was concerned about what was happening in the world in 2021: a worldwide pandemic, the killing of George Floyd and the push by the Black Lives Matter movement.
“My oldest son, my love and my life, was about to launch into a world that didn’t recognize the treasure that he was. It didn’t see him for a smart and compassionate and outstanding young man,” Turnquest said. “All they saw of him was the color of his skin, and I was terrified because he’d grown up with this (support network) here.
“So what do you do when you’re scared? You lean on your community and family, and you rallied, people turned up and turned out (for that school board election) and it was like no other.”
Her job supporting health care workers often brought the reality of outside forces to her desk, Turnquest said, but “I would work with this amazing group of folks (on the board). They would give me hope that we can be a better people.
“If you look at this group of people up here and you think they don’t have your children’s best interest at heart, you are wrong. They go to bed every night thinking about your kids and they wake up every morning thinking about your kids.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me inspiration and you made my kids safe and important.”
Member Christopher Reidel, elected in 2022, told the incoming members he recognizes four attributes among his fellow board members: Passion that comes through in their discussions; rigor that gets them thinking things through before making tough decisions; equity that affects the climate at H-F, where the board is always looking out for all students and the equitable distribution of resources; fairness that wins the day, even when board members may have differences of opinion.
