Dolton 149 Supt. Dr. Shelly Davis-Jones Retires; Earns Board Praise

(Calumet City, IL) – Dolton School District 149 Superintendent Dr. Shelly Davis-Jones officiated at her last school board meeting last week as the south suburban district’s chief administrator after a 10-year tenure at the helm.

Dr. Davis-Jones, who is retiring effective June 30, 2022, gave a heartfelt farewell address at the board of education’s June 15 monthly meeting, thanking the board and her top staff as well as expressing “how thankful” she is for the opportunity to have led the district.

“I want to Thank the Board of Education for allowing me to serve in this district as the superintendent for ten years,” Davis-Jones told the board. “In Luke 12:48, To whom much is given much is required, resonated within the walls of the district office. Literally, I gave everything I had to the children and families of this district my entire career. Although the last five years have been truly challenging, I always put children first in every decision made on behalf of this board, and words cannot express how humble and thankful I am.”

Davis-Jones’ final report to the board cited multiple “achievements” during her tenure, including: extensive renovations of the district’s schools, hiring math and reading coaches, hiring hard-to-fill special ed teachers, increasing pre-k enrollment, establishing a Male Youth Summit Program, launching a Pretty Brown Girls Program, creating an annual summer school program and student tutorial support, eliminating registration and graduation fees, installing “parent libraries” in all schools, and much more.

The district’s top elected official heaped praise on Dr. Davis-Jones.

“On behalf of the Dolton 149 Board of Education, I want to express our deepest appreciation to Dr. Shelly Davis-Jones for her overall, 26-years of service, achievements, and dedication to the students and families of the district, including her years as superintendent,” said Board President Rayya Ghani. “I hope you know, Dr. Davis-Jones, how much I value you and how you have helped to become the woman that I am today.”

“Always gracious.”

“You were always gracious to me,” said board of education member Wilbur Tillman. “Even before I was elected to the board, you opened your door and sat down to explain district issues to me. So, God bless you. You will be missed around here.”

Replacing Dr. Davis-Jones will be Dr. Maureen White. Dr. White is currently the Director of Programs and District Services at SPEED Special Education Joint Agreement School District 802 in Chicago Heights. She will take the helm of the elementary school district and its 2,270 students for next two years.

Dr. White brings more than 25-years of experience as a public-school educator and administrator to Dolton 149, according to Ghani.

“Dr. White’s long and proven leadership at multiple, regional school districts impressed the Board of Education, and it was a key factor in our decision to offer Dr. White the job of superintendent at Dolton 149,” said Ghani.

Dr. White assumes her new job on July 1, 2022.

davidormsby@davidormsby.com