Elizabeth Reilinger wins nation's highest honor for school board members

NASHVILLE - The Council of the Great City Schools tonight surprised the Chairperson of the Boston School Committee with the nation's highest honor for urban education leadership. Elizabeth G. Reilinger, Ph.D., was presented the 18th annual Richard R. Green Award in a ceremony at the Council's fall conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The award includes a $10,000 college scholarship for a student graduating from the Boston Public Schools.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino first appointed Dr. Reilinger to the School Committee in 1994, and she has been elected Chairperson of the Committee every year since 1998.

"Liz Reilinger is extremely deserving of this prestigious award," said Mayor Menino. "She provides outstanding leadership on the Boston School Committee. She cares deeply about kids and about the future of this city. I'm very grateful for her years of tremendous service to the families of Boston and congratulate her on this honor."

Dr. Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, said, "Any Superintendent in the country would be fortunate to have Liz Reilinger as a Board chair. She is passionate about ensuring a first-rate education for every child and works tirelessly to make that vision a reality."

Former Superintendent Michael G. Contompasis, who nominated Dr. Reilinger for the award, said, "Liz has a great ability to see the big picture and to make sure everyone stays focused. She is an incredibly strategic thinker with a relentless commitment to excellence."

The Richard R. Green Award is given in alternating years to an outstanding School Board member and Superintendent from one of the 66 largest urban school districts in the country. It is named in memory of a former Chancellor of the New York City Schools and Superintendent of the Minneapolis Schools. Past winners include Dr. Thomas W. Payzant, former Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools, and Rod Paige, former U.S. Secretary of Education.

"Liz Reilinger's leadership for the schools and children in Boston has been exemplary and central to the reform and improvement of the school district," said Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools.

Dr. Reilinger, a resident of the Back Bay, is a Senior Fellow at the Jonathan Tisch College of Public Service and Civic Engagement at Tufts University. Her former roles include President and Chief Executive Officer of Crittenton, Inc., Associate Dean of Boston University, and faculty at Boston University, Cornell University, and Ithaca College. Dr. Reilinger also serves as a consultant on social welfare policy and programs and non-profit leadership and management.

The Council of the Great City Schools is the only national organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public schools. Composed of 66 large city school districts, representing 7.4 million students, its mission is to promote the cause of urban schools and to advocate for inner-city students through legislation, research and media relations. The organization also provides a network for school districts sharing common problems to exchange information, and to collectively address new challenges as they emerge in order to deliver the best possible education for urban youth. www.cgcs.org

4 schools, and recently won the Broad Prize for Urban Education as the top city school district in the country.

Dr. Elizabeth Reilinger