Ron Turner Sr. was elected to serve as the new president of the Meridian Public School District school board Monday, replacing Beverly Pennington who recently stepped down from the board.

Turner, appointed to the school board in December 2019, was previously serving as the board’s vice president. Gwendolyn Hardaway was elected the board’s new vice president, and Kimberly Houston was elected secretary.

As board president, Turner said he is honored to serve during an exciting time for the Meridian Public School District.

“There is a lot of positive energy that’s going on in our school district at this time. Grades are improving, facilities are improving. It appears that we are improving in every area that we need,” he said. “But we’ve still got some work to do.

“I really am honored to be in this capacity to work directly hand-in-hand with the superintendent and the administrative staff here in the school district to accomplish our goals,” he added.

Turner, who serves as executive director of the Meridian Housing Authority, said all of his children graduated from Meridian High, so the district holds a special place in his heart. He recently had the opportunity to talk with this year’s senior class at MHS.

“I told them to take a good look at the campus now because when they come back to their 10-year class reunion, it’s probably going to be unrecognizable, but in a good light,” he said. “There are going to be so many great improvements.”

Turner gave credit to MPSD Superintendent Amy J. Carter and her administrative team for the work they do.

“Being in this capacity, I see them burning the midnight oil trying to do the best that they possibly can for the students, the teachers and everybody that is involved in this school district,” he said.

Earlier this month, the Meridian City Council approved Mayor Jimmie Smith’s appointment of Monica Cryer, a local real estate agent with Winstead Realty and a former Meridian Public School District employee, to replace Pennington on the board by a vote of 4-0-1 with Councilman George Thomas voting present.

Cryer, who retired from the district in December 2022, spent more than 38 years working in various roles within the school district. At the time of her retirement, she was serving as executive assistant to the superintendent.

Working in real estate locally for more than a decade, Cryer is a member of the Meridian Board of Realtors, Mississippi Board of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.

During her confirmation to the board, Cryer told city council members that the school board’s role is to set and follow policy, as well as be accountable, trustworthy and transparent with district business.

“It’s not to micromanage the superintendent, but we’re to follow policy and to govern policy and also accountability, transparency,” she said of the board’s role. “Those are some of the things a school board member needs … make sure you are trustworthy and honorable in that position.”

When asked by Thomas if she would have any problem setting policy for the district after having worked closely with Carter, Cryer said “I would have no problem. I would follow policy and procedures.”