Prince George’s County school board will soon have new leadership after its chair recently resigned and vice chair lost in last month’s general election.
However, Segun Eubanks will remain as board chairman until Jan. 1, or unless newly sworn-in Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks appoints one sooner.
“We’re presented with a lot of challenges and problems, but I implore you to join us to continue to find and spread the good word of the work that we do and do it well,” Eubanks said during a board meeting via video from Dallas while attending an education conference. “I thank you on behalf of parents like myself and behalf of citizens and welcome to the board of education.”
Eubanks, who announced his resignation late last month, spoke before five members were sworn in at the Sasscer Administration Building in Upper Marlboro. The four newest members and the districts and schools they will represent are:
• Joshua Thomas – District 2 schools in the northern part of the county such as Carrollton Elementary, Charles Carroll Middle School and Parkdale High School.
• Pamela Boozer-Strother – District 3 schools in northern part of the county such as Adelphi Elementary; Hyattsville Middle School and International High School at Langley Park.
• Belinda Queen – District 6 schools in central Prince George’s such as Capitol Heights Elementary, Walker Mill Middle School and Central High School.
• Paul Montiero – appointed by Alsobrooks and will serve as an at-large member.
“As much as I love the [school] system, I think part of love is being honest,” said Montiero, a Prince George’s Public Schools graduate who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for county executive. “The challenges that face the system when I was a student, some of them are still with us. I’m not interested in assigning blame. I’m interested in working with everybody to … make the county the best we can be.”
Dinora Hernandez, an attorney and Latino liaison in the county executive’s office, didn’t seek re-election in District 3.
Sonya Williams, who represents District 9, was the only incumbent to win re-election for a second four-year term. She will help oversee schools in the southern part of Prince George’s such as Tanglewood Regional, Gwynn Park middle and high schools.
“Use your skills and best judgment,” said Williams, who also works as a civil engineer. “I bring all of that to this seat to make decisions to best of Prince George’s County Public Schools.”