Master Board Member

Email: mmcdannel@sd163.com

Mrs. Margaret McDannel was first elected to the Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 Board of Education in 1995 and served for twenty- five consecutive years until 2020. During that time, she served as Chairman of the Finance Committee and a member of the Policy Committee. In 2023, Mrs. McDannel was re-elected to the Board and currently serves as Board President. Mrs. McDannel has attended workshops annually and has earned and retained Master Board Member status throughout the years. Mrs. McDannel has been a resident of the Park Forest community for 65 years and has been actively involved in the schools as PTO president, member of the Strategic Planning Committee, and member of the District Desegregation Planning Committee in 1973. Her husband, Leonard, served as a teacher for the school district and her three children attended the Park Forest schools and graduated from Rich East High School. Mrs. McDannel serves as the Board Secretary for the Birch Street Townhomes in Park Forest. Her professional career has centered around managerial positions for the manufacturing and transportation industry.

Additional Board Training

Member since 2013

Master Board Member Maintained
Distinguished Board Leader

Email: amccray@sd163.com

Mrs. Allison McCray was elected as a member of the Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District Board of Education in 2013. In 2015 she was elected by the Board to serve as Vice President and held that title for four years. In 2023, Mrs. McCray was again elected Vice President and currently serves in that position. She has also served as Co-Chairman of the Finance Committee, Member of the Policy Committee and Facilities Committee. She had completed the Open Meetings Act and Performance Evaluation Reform Training. Additionally, from 2013 to 2023, Mrs. McCray was elected by the Board to serve at the IASB delegate assembly and was elected as the Director at Large for the IASB Cook Division. Mrs. McCray has completed all required IASB workshops and holds Master Board Member status. Prior to her becoming an elected official, Mrs. McCray served the District and community in various capacities which include PTO President, volunteer at Thorn Creek Nature Center, participated in the Park Forest Civic Leadership Academy and was appointed to the Cable Commission in 2019. Mrs. McCray is employed at the Park Forest Public Library, where she serves as the Administrative Services Coordinator and has been appointed to the Park Forest Environment Commission. Mrs. McCray earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University in Business and Liberal Arts in 2016. She devoted her professional career to working for AT&T and now works as a Social Media/Marketing Specialist. Mrs. McCray has been a resident of Park Forest for twenty years, is married and has three children all of whom attended the Park Forest schools. Mrs. McCray remains highly dedicated to delivering best practice programs, ensuring equity for all students and providing culturally responsive classrooms at all grades.

Additional Board Training

Master Board Member

Email: keperkins@sd163.com

Mrs. Elmore - Perkins has been a resident of Park Forest since 1993. She was first elected to the Park Forest — Chicago Heights School District 163 Board of Education in 2005 and served as a member until 2009. She was re-elected in 2023 and currently serves as the Board Secretary. Mrs. Elmore-Perkins holds Master Board Member status and has completed all required IASB workshops and training sessions. Prior to becoming a Board member, Ms. Perkins served as a community member on the District’s Five-year Strategic Planning Committee in 2004. Shortly after moving to the community in 1993, Mrs. Elmore Perkins began to work in District 163 as the Director of the 4H Before and After School Program. This was the beginning of a strong collaboration between the school district, village, parents and the University of Illinois to provide child care, homework support, and crafts to the children of working parents. Mrs. Elmore Perkins has also actively served the Park Forest community since 1997 by volunteering on a variety of village committees, commissions, and tasks forces. Mrs. Elmore Perkins earned her Bachelors of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education. She pursued her career in Early Childhood, working as a paraprofessional in District 163 and a certified teacher in the state funded Prekindergarten for All program until 2022.

Additional Board Training

Member since 2021

Master Board Member

Email: jjordan@sd163.com

Mrs. Jacqueline Jordan was first elected to the Park Forest - Chicago Heights School District 163 Board of Education in 2009 and served until 2019. She served as President of the Board of Education from 2015 – 2017. Mrs. Jordan was re-elected to the Board in 2021 and currently serves as the Board Assistant Secretary. Mrs. Jordan also serves as Chairman of the Finance Committee and serves as a member of the Policy Committee and Education Committee. She has completed all IASB required workshops and training sessions including Open Meetings Act and Performance Evaluation Reform Training. Mrs. Jordan earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Governors State University in Health Services in 2015 and has devoted her career to working with high school students at Rich Township School District 227. Mrs. Jordan has been a resident of Park Forest for twenty-eight years. She is the mother of two children, both of whom attended District 163, and 4 grandchildren. As a Board member, Ms. Jordan has attended conferences and workshops on an annual basis and has attained Master Board Member status.

Additional Board Training

Member since 2021

Email: thoward@sd163.com

Ms. Takisha Howard was elected to the Park Forest — Chicago Heights School District 163 Board of Education in 2021. She has served as a member of the District 163 Equity Committee and currently serves as a member of the Board’s Policy Committee. She has completed all required IASB workshops and Board training sessions, Insourcing the Basics of Governance Training, Open meetings Act, and Performance Evaluation Reform training. Mrs. Howard attended Corliss High School in Chicago, Illinois and graduated with an Associate’s Degree from Sawyer College in Hammond, Indiana. In her professional career as an accomplished writer, she has authored books and mentor’s young adults interested in pursuing that career. Ms. Howard loves to encourage students with this quote, “You can do anything you set your mind to.” Ms. Howard has been a resident of Park Forest for twelve years. She is the proud parent of a District 163 graduate and a currently enrolled honor student.

Additional Board Training

Member since 2021

Distinguished Board Leader

Email: wmosby@sd163.com

Mr. Walter Mosby was first elected to the Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163 Board of Education in 2007 and served until 2019. During that time, he served as President of the Board from 2009-2015. He was re-elected to the Board in 2021 for a four-year term and again served as President of the Board until 2023. Mr. Mosby currently serves as Chairman of the Education Committee and a member of the Policy Committee. Mr. Mosby has also served as Alderman of the 1st Ward for the City of Chicago Heights for seven years. Mr. Mosby earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in political Science from Lincoln University in 1983. Always dedicated to the youth of the community, Mr. Mosby’s professional career has included social work at Aunt Martha’s, student service work at Bloom High School District 206, as well as serving in the ministry as the pastor of Greater Faith Baptist Church in Chicago Heights. Additionally, he volunteers to sponsor and support various community service activities within the Park Forest - Chicago Heights community. “One of the things that I am proudest of is that I am a product and graduate of School District 163 from kindergarten to eighth grade. With this great pride, it gives me joy to give back to the community in which I grew up. The opportunity to enhance the lives of the students we serve is immeasurable.” Mr. Mosby is married and the father of a three children and three grandchildren.

Additional Board Training

Member since 2025

Email: amathias@sd163.com

Mrs. Arin Mathias was appointed to the Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163 Board of Education in February 2025.