The Board holds a public meeting on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Turner Administrative Service Center. USD 202 utilizes Electronic School Board (ESB) for Board of Education meeting agendas, minutes, and policies. These items are available to the public and can be accessed through the Board of Education page on the district website.

We invite you to meet our board members through a Q&A with each of them below.

Board President Theresa Tillery

What was your favorite school meal as a student? The bowl of chili and the huge homemade cinnamon rolls that covered the rest of the plate. There may have been some carrot and celery sticks on the plate, also.

Tell us about a teacher who made a difference for you. Mr. Patterson, my freshman algebra teacher, taught me patience and tenacity - in life there is success and learning (not failure) and with most things in life, you have to trust the process. Most of the words he used at the start of the school year sounded like a foreign language to me. I wasn't used to leaving a classroom confused and frustrated. He taught us to learn from our mistakes. Over time and much instruction, I started to understand and even enjoy the mental challenges of the simple algebra problems.

About being a Board of Education member, she said, “I love seeing the positive impact our decisions make on young lives. That sentence sounds so simple, but it is really complex. For each agenda item we consider, we are provided supporting information to read through and ask questions. Every decision we make is well-vetted and thought through. In making decisions, we ask ourselves, ‘what is best for students?’ Sometimes there is healthy discussion and debate among the board members. We all bring a different perspective to the table, and that is appreciated.

As a Turner Board of Education member, I have many points of pride: district-wide improvements to provide the best learning environment possible, district programs that provide both vocational and college opportunities, the hiring of additional social workers to support emotional needs, increasing pay and benefits to all certified and classified staff so they feel valued, and many more. I truly love when students visit our Board of Education meetings to share their individual successes.”

Vice President Steve Russell

What was your favorite school meal as a student? I always looked forward to the rectangular slices of pizza.

Tell us about a teacher who made a difference for you. Mr. Meyers, who was my wood shop teacher. Mr. Meyers made the class an engaging and enjoyable learning environment. That class is one of the reasons that I still enjoy woodworking to this day.

About being a Board of Education member, he said, “I take seriously the opportunity to be involved in the policy making process as it relates to the education of all students in the district. I also feel an immense amount of pride when handing diplomas to our incredible graduates. As a lifelong Turner resident, I am proud of the fact that I graduated from Turner High School and that my children, all of whom are also Turner alumni, had some of the same teachers I had.”

Board Member Joy Beery

What was your favorite school meal as a student? I loved chili and hot cinnamon rolls.

Tell us about a teacher who made a difference for you. It was my third grade teacher, Ms. Hutchison. She was so special and she made me feel special. She was always interested in how you were doing and what you were thinking - she was a true role model.

About being a Board of Education member, she said, “I most like being a part of a group that helps students succeed. I love seeing students succeed and go on to be great people in life. I always say that my greatest reward being a school board member is watching all the students come up at graduation and get their diplomas, and to see how many receive scholarships and have plans to go on to college, trade schools, the military, etc. It’s incredible to see the difference from when they came in as little ones to growing up in the district.”

Board Member Becky Billigmeier

What was your favorite school meal as a student? I liked the grilled cheese.

Tell us about a teacher who made a difference for you. My first grade teacher, Sister Alphonsus - she was serious in the classroom. I learned a lot from her, including classroom management.

About being a Board of Education member, she said, “I like the opportunity to know what’s happening with students and be involved in their education. I’ve had a chance to be on the Turner Community Connection and the Board of Education at the same time, and I was proud to be an ambassador for the district to the community. I was appreciative of the opportunity to keep them informed of all that was happening in our schools.”

Board Member Jeff Davidson

What was your favorite school meal as a student? The one that I remember most is chili and cinnamon rolls - it always seemed like an odd combination.

Tell us about a teacher who made a difference for you. I had a fifth grade teacher that picked up on a reading mistake I was making. She helped me correct the problem after class was over so I would not be embarrassed about it. It was life changing to not struggle with reading any longer.

About being a Board of Education member, he said, “I most like the positivity of education. Engaging with young people and educators is always very uplifting. I am proud of the success of our students and being able to speak to young people that have discovered their strengths and are excited to use them.”

Board Member Bryan Fishbaugh

What was your favorite school meal as a student? Oh, it was without a doubt ‘Taco Crunch’!

Tell us about a teacher who made a difference for you. Mr. Loughmiller, my shop teacher at Highland Junior High (now Midland Trail Elementary). Through his instruction, I learned how to take something from a simple vision to a finished project - this is a skill and mindset that has helped me throughout life.

About being a Board of Education member, he said, “I most like giving back to the community by advocating for future growth and the needs of students and families in the community. As lifelong residents of Turner, my wife and I are both THS Class of ‘88 alumni, parents of Turner alumni, and proud grandparents of future Turner graduates. As a board member, I am proud to be able to utilize the history, morals, and values that make up the Turner community in an effort to continue the success of the Turner School District and community.”

Board Member Sheriff Daniel Soptic

What was your favorite school meal as a student? It was definitely the pizza.

Tell us about a teacher who made a difference for you. Mr. Smith and Mr. Jarrett, my band instructors. Both of them were always there to listen and really support students. I believe activities like band and other fine arts play such a huge part in the development of students and those that instruct it play an important role in that.

About being a Board of Education member, he said, “I love seeing our community grow and how school plays such an important role in the lives of our students. We are preparing the next generation of community members, and I hope they stay around this community and give back.

I am not only proud to be a Turner Board of Education member, I’m also proud to be a Turner resident and graduate. Turner has always had the best mix of people, cultures, and experiences. Because of that, our schools turn out graduates that are well positioned for the world. Turner has the small town feel, which I think is good for kids - knowing your neighbor and having those relationships make for better families and communities. Being able to be a small part of that puzzle as a board member is exciting. Being able to help direct the district in a positive direction and making it that much better for the next generation is why I do it.”