Out-going School Board Members Thanked for Doing a Thankless Job

Elmhurst District 205 School Board bid farewell to four board members Tuesday night, and there was no better person to read a tribute to them then the board’s new longest-standing member, Susan DeRonne.

DeRonne, who on Tuesday was elected president for the second time in her 18-year tenure on the board, will surely be looked to by the young board as a source of historical knowledge in the months and years ahead.

But first, she read a tribute to Deb Conroy, Peggy Ostojic, Marta Davy and David Carlquist, who leave the board with a combined 42 years of experience.

Conroy has served the district for four years, DeRonne said.

“We will miss her passion for serving children with special needs,” she said. “Her wonderful artwork around town will serve as a reminder to all of us of her deep commitment to the care and education of our children."

Ostojic, who was board president, served five years. She started out as a highly engaged parent who wound up showing up at every board meeting, DeRonne said. She kept the meetings on time.

“Peggy works in a northern suburb and she would literally fly into our closed sessions, coatless and breathless, in an attempt to start on time,” DeRonne said.

Davy brought to the board a “rich heritage of dedication to public education,” DeRonne said, adding both her parents and two of her children are teachers.

During her 12-year tenure,  DeRonne said, Davy she made the time for extra duties on the board. Five years ago, “Marta cut her vacation short to come back and present a final proposal to the teachers’ union.”

Carlquist was appointed in 1990, then elected five times.

“Dave is an advocate for getting the right message out and getting it out often,” DeRonne said. “In his own words, ‘there is no such thing as over communicating.’ Yes, Dave, we know. He may not know this, but some of our shortest meetings were the ones Dave had to miss,” she quipped.

She said his ability to cut to the core of an issue and his “whole-picture approach” to problems will be missed.

Board members also were asked to give advice to the newly seated:

• “Listen to each other; do not get caught up in a power struggle,” Conroy wrote.
• “(T)hey should bring their voice to every discussion, but at the end of the board vote, they need to support the voice of the board, even if the board vote is different from their individual opinions,” Ostojic said.
• “Getting elected to the Board of Education is a popularity contest. From the point you are sworn in, the popularity contest ends. You will need to make decisions that are sometimes unpopular even with those who have helped you get elected,” Davy said.
• “Make time for the enjoyable parts of the job, such as attending school events, retirement teas, PTA council meetings and other situations that connect you with students, staff and the community,” Carlquist said.

Teachers sometimes get the pleasure of knowing when they have made a difference, DeRonne said. But board members don't. 

"No one contacts a school board member after years have gone by to say thank you, you touched my life," she said. "But believe me, your years of service to District 205 have made a difference, countless times."

New board members Chris Blum, Shannon Ebner, John McDonough and Karen Stuefen took the oath of office and were seated. In addition to DeRonne being elected president, Maria Hirsch was named vice president and Jim Collins was named secretary.