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H-F Superintendent Mansfield presented state honor

District 233 Superintendent Von Mansfield has been presented a Those Who Excel Award for a second time by the Illinois State Board of Education.

District 233 Superintendent Von Mansfield has been presented a Those Who Excel Award for a second time by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Von Mansfield

Mansfield was nominated for a Those Who Excel Meritorious Service Award by the Illinois Association of School Administrators – South Cook Region. The honor recognizes his meritorious service and invaluable contributions to Homewood-Flossmoor High School and the communities in the South Suburbs.

Mansfield’s previous Those Who Excel honor was presented in the 2004-05 school year when he served as Homewood-Flossmoor High School principal.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the annual awards ceremony was not held this fall. It may be moved to a future date.

Mansfield has been superintendent since 2008. He has overseen academic and structural improvements to H-F designed to benefit current and future students. These include the addition of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, the Media, Visual & Performing Arts (MVP) Academy and seven-day-per-week free tutoring. 

Mansfield also has worked with staff, the District 233 school board and architectural teams on facility improvements and additions, including the renovation of the Viking Broadcasting Center, the rebuilding of the North Building Fieldhouse, renovation of multiple science labs and the greenhouse, and the expansion of the South Building fine arts facilities.

Through his leadership at H-F, Mansfield has fostered an environment where students, staff, community members and all stakeholders have a voice, said Jill Bonavia-Galligani, H-F fine arts and English teacher. 

“He has an open-door policy, welcoming all of us to come in and discuss anything that is on our minds. He wants to know how people are feeling and what people are thinking, as truly outstanding leaders do,” she said. 

“He is also forward-thinking and understands how critical it is to educate the whole person. Thus, he cares about the social-emotional growth of our students and supports opportunities for them to grow not only intellectually, but artistically and athletically, as well,” the teacher said.

Steve Anderson, District 233 Board of Education president, said: “I would like to congratulate Dr. Mansfield on this great honor. Nothing quite compares to being recognized by your peers for the work you’ve done throughout your career.”

Gerald Pauling, school board vice president, said: “This award embodies what Dr. Mansfield has delivered to our school and students, and our entire community for more than 30 years: meritorious service. It is fitting that he be recognized in this way, and, as someone who has benefited greatly from his work, I am proud and overjoyed to see him receive this award.” 

Mansfield is actively involved in the community and is a member of several professional organizations, including Phi Delta Kappa, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the American Association of School Administrators

He serves as the vice chair of the College Board’s Oak Circle Advisory Board and as a representative for the South Cook Region Illinois Association of School AdministratorsGovernmental Relations & Advocacy Committee. 

In addition, he has served as a member of the executive committee of the College Board’s Board of Trustees and chair of the College Board trustee committee on membership. He also held the appointed position of president of the Headmasters Association, which represents the top private and public schools in the nation, as well as president of the Southwest Suburban Conference of school districts, located in suburban Chicago. 

Mansfield also served on the Big Ten Advisory Commission that supports minority athletes in the Big Ten.

Mansfield has given the District 233 school board notice of his pending retirement. A date has not been announced.

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