PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FERGUSON-FLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Missouri’s Ferguson-Florissant School Board is the recipient of the 2023 CUBE Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence. The award, established in 2004, recognizes CUBE member districts for excellence in school board performance, academic improvement, educational equity, and community engagement.

Located in the city of Hazelwood, in suburban St. Louis County, the 9,500-student Ferguson-Florissant School District’s stated mission is to provide high-quality instruction “to every student in every neighborhood while prioritizing equity and compassionate relationships.” Focused on data-driven decision-making and evidence-based practices, the Ferguson-Florissant board works toward measurable improvements in student achievement and narrowing opportunity gaps. It recently adopted a series of antiracist standards to further educational equity for all students, especially those most marginalized.

Dr. Jonathan Hodges of New Jersey’s Paterson Board of Education is the recipient of the 2023 Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award. The recognition honors the legacy of the late Morehouse College president, scholar, minister, civil rights advisor, and member of the Atlanta Board of Education.

PHOTO COURTESY: PATERSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Hodges, a retired physician and nearly 21-year member of the Paterson Public Schools Board of Education, first joined the board while working as an emergency room physician. In witnessing the struggles of young people in the ER, including those who experienced violence, he recognized that students with significant medical needs also often had significant educational needs. As a board member, Hodges became a leader in addressing financial misappropriations and landmark court battles to reform funding for education and infrastructure. He continues to fight for the high-quality education that Paterson’s children deserve. 

More on our CUBE award winners will be available in an upcomingissue of ASBJ.