Friday, March 29, 2024

Connect with us:

District 215 appoints local pastor and parent Christopher Dodd to School Board

Dodd becomes first Black man on District 215 Board, replaces Michael Bolz

By Jim Masters

LANSING, Ill. (April 15, 2021) – Thornton Fractional High School District 215 has welcomed Dr. Christopher Dodd to its Board of Education.

The board approved Dodd’s appointment at a special meeting April 14. He fills the unexpired term of former board president Michael Bolz, who had resigned in March after completing his Ph.D. and accepting a position in which being a board member would be a potential conflict of interest. Bolz had served on the District 215 board since 2011.

“I am pleased to welcome Dr. Dodd to the Board of Education and am excited about the leadership experience and community development expertise he brings,” said LeeAnn Revis, who is serving as interim board president.

District 215 parent and former teacher

Dodd is certainly familiar with TF South High School, having served four years there as a special education teacher. His daughter is currently a TFS student.

“I am honored to be appointed to the Board of Education,” Dodd said. “Serving my community is one of my top priorities, and I look forward to working with my fellow board members to serve the staff, students and communities of our district.”

Revis added, “The fact that he is a parent in the district and a former employee makes him uniquely positioned to be a voice on the board.”

First African American male

Dodd, who is District 215’s first African American male board member, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from Northern Illinois University and a Master’s of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry from Northern Theological Seminary, where his studies focused primarily on community development.

In his role as lead pastor of New Community Church in Dolton, Dodd has facilitated partnerships with Meals on Wheels, Easter Seals, Open Access Clothing Closet, ACE Before and After Care Program, Family Christian Health Center, and the Village of Dolton.

From 2013-2020, he worked as an outreach volunteer coordinator for Alexian Brothers Housing and Health Alliance in Chicago. He has also worked in sales and management for several Fortune 500 companies.

Dodd is a member of the South Suburban HIV/AIDS Regional Clinics, the creator and editor of the Friday Fuel podcast, and Convergence Mid America board member. He was raised on the south side of Chicago, where his mother was a public school teacher for 35 years.

The Thornton Fractional High School District 215 Board oversees four schools: TF South High School, TF North High School, the TF Center for Academics and Technology, and the TF Center for Alternative Learning. District 215 serves residents of Lansing, Calumet City, Burnham, and Lynwood.

Related

Jim Masters
Jim Masters
Jim Masters grew up on 191st Street in Lansing. He attended Nathan Hale Elementary, was a member of St. Ann Church, graduated with the first graduating class at Heritage Middle School, and graduated from TF South High School in 1981. Inspired by his journalism teacher Joe Hyde, Jim earned a BA in Journalism from Northern Illinois University. He has more than 25 years of experience as beat reporter, specializing in government, politics, criminal justice, human interest stories, and education.