November 15, 2020 marks the official statewide observance of School Board Members Day in Illinois. The honorary day is an opportunity to recognize the nearly 6,000 school board members across Illinois and thank them for the dedication, perseverance, and leadership they provide local school districts.
Thank you to the seven Joliet residents who serve as the Joliet Public Schools District 86 Board of School Inspectors. These community members include (from left to right, front row) President Tonya Roberts, Vice President Anthony Contos (from left to right, back row) Erick Deshaun Dorris, Gwendolyn Ulmer, R. Emil Standfield, Deborah Ziech, and Jeffrey Pritz.
In addition to recognizing, respecting, valuing, and responding to the diverse needs of our students and community, our board members have also had to make several difficult decisions about the health and safety of students and staff during the current pandemic,” said Joliet Public Schools District 86 Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse.
Jeffrey Pritz has served on the Joliet Public Schools District 86 Board of School Inspectors for 27 years. Deborah Ziech has been on the board since 2003. Tonya Roberts and Gwendolyn Ulmer have both served for 9 years. Anthony Contos has been on the board since 2013. Erick Deshaun Dorris has been a school board member since 2017 and R. Emil Standfield was elected in 2019.
Currently 10,389 students in grades PreKindergarten through eighth grade attend one of 21 Joliet Public Schools District 86 schools in the city of Joliet. District 86 is the fourth largest elementary school district in Illinois and the ninth largest employer in Will County.