• Nikole Shurn, Board President 

    Nikole Shurn is a former middle/high school English Language Arts teacher and currently holds the position of Wrap Around Services building director for the School District of University City. In her role, she is responsible for assessing student needs and addressing those needs by identifying community resources that will assist in student achievement. Additionally, she is tasked with aligning and coordinating systems within the district and building adult capacity, resulting in better student outcomes.

    Nikole has over 20 years of combined experience in the areas of nonprofit, education, corporate, and entrepreneurship. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Kentucky State University in Business Administration, a masters' in Secondary Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a masters in Media Communications from Webster University. As a life-long learner, she is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Maryville University.

    Nikole is dedicated and passionate about educational equity and racial justice and will be sure to bring a voice to the voiceless when it comes to those two topics. She is a member of the Keysor Racial Equity Committee, a member of Wyman’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, and a member of the Transformational Leadership Team at Brittany Woods Middle School. During her tenure on the board, she promises to make decisions in the best interest of ALL students and encourage clear and transparent communication for ALL stakeholders.

    A pioneer at heart, Nikole graduated from Kirkwood in 1996 and currently has two students in the District – one at Keysor and the other at KHS. In her spare time, she brings the community together by mentoring kids and collecting prom dresses and prom-night necessities for high school girls and offers them free of charge to those need through her non-profit, Nspire 2 Dream and the Fairy Glam Project.
     

    Mark Boyko, Board Vice President

    Mark has served as the Director of the Kirkwood School Board since his election in 2019. Mark and his wife, Meg, have two children at Kirkwood Schools — one at Nipher and one at Kirkwood High.

    Mark also currently serves on the Board of Directors of St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and previously served as a Director at Places for People, a St. Louis non-profit supporting families and individuals dealing with homelessness, and mental health and co-occurring disorders. Mark also served on St. Louis County’s Economic Rescue Team, tasked with recommending changes to help the county recover from the impact of COVID-19.

    Mark is a lawyer whose practice focuses on protecting employee and retiree savings against inappropriate fees and conflicts of interest. He has litigated cases against dozens of corporations and secured over $500 million in judgments and settlements, as well as improvements to 401(k) and other retirement accounts. He also represents a biotech startup, having helped it grow from an idea to a 130+ employee brand valued at $700 million.

    Mark graduated from the University of Illinois (Economics), University of Missouri (Law), and New York University (Masters of Law).

    Judy Moticka, Board Secretary 

    Judy Moticka (formerly Judy Larsen) has lived in Kirkwood since 1991, when she moved with her two young boys after being drawn to the stellar schools and neighborhood feel. She taught high school English for 15 years, the last 6 at Kirkwood High School, and her boys and stepchildren all went through Kirkwood schools, graduating from Kirkwood High School in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008. While they were students, she was active in the PTO and other district events. She has also served as a mayor-appointed member of  the City of Kirkwood Human Rights Commission and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the Foster Care System.

    In her personal and professional life, and in volunteer service, she has focused on children--protecting them, empowering them, supporting them. She believes there are few things more important than our public schools. She is committed to working with fellow board members to move the district forward to a steady and bright future. Her priorities include hiring and retaining great teachers, partnering with parents in everything we do and focusing on the responsibility of the School Board to be good stewards of the Prop R funds.

    Jean Marie Andrews, Board Director 

    Jean Marie is a St. Louis native and spent a decade teaching in the Kirkwood School District. She earned her degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from Fontbonne University and taught Kindergarten, Second and Third grades at Robinson Elementary. During that time, Jean Marie developed the district’s Extended Day program for kids at-risk.

    Jean Marie and her husband Ben have lived in Kirkwood since 2012. Her children are Paige, North Kirkwood Middle School and Caroline, and Jack, who attend Keysor Elementary.

    As Vice President of the board, Jean Marie served on the following District Committees: Communication, Safety, Curriculum, Strategic Planning, and Policy Management. She also co-chaired the successful 2017 Prop K campaign to restore class size guidelines for our students.

    Kirkwood School Board is the critical link between our great classrooms and this strong community. Between her background and board experience and leadership, she knows the district’s culture, resources, and difficulties. Jean Marie understands the district’s finances and the importance of being a good steward of funds entrusted to the District by the community to ensure long-term financial health.

    As an experienced Kirkwood educator, Jean Marie believes she provides a unique perspective on the academic and social-emotional needs of our students. Because she has young children, she is committed to preserving and growing the district. 

    Angie Bernardi, Board Director

    Angie Bernardi has served Kirkwood as a member of the School Board since her election in 2015. She currently serves on the District’s committees for Strategic Planning, Technology, Curriculum, Sustainability, Salary and Communications.  She is also a member of the Kirkwood Legislative Advocacy Committee for Education, the Equity Gap Task Force, Discipline Philosophy and Policy Committee and the Kirkwood Every Child Promise Early Education Initiative. As a certified member of the Missouri School Board Association, she is the Delegate representing the District for legislative action on school funding, assessment, and other statewide policies.

    She has worked closely with all stakeholders to articulate a new statement of vision and mission and to communicate the goals and objectives for a sound fiscal future for Kirkwood School District through systematic strategic planning. An integral part of the plan involved approving new technology as a tool for teaching and learning. Students are the focus of all policies at Kirkwood School District.  Angie has focused on policies that support equity, inclusion and wellness concerning students' social and emotional needs.  Angie has encouraged the district to support data-driven decisions through surveys, studies and focus groups. She has recruited resources in the community to support the district through collaboration with universities, similar districts and consulting groups.

    Angie earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Webster University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She learned to listen actively and build consensus while serving on executive committees, pastoral councils, school boards, parent associations, fundraising committees and advisory councils in the areas of education, youth ministry, performing arts, music, sports and scouts.

    Working in R&D and new product development at Cooper Industries, she earned two patents for innovations in circuit protection.  More recently, she has focused on strategic planning consulting for business and non-profit organizations with a focus on education. She contributed to the team that established the Washington University College of Engineering’s cooperative education program and conducted research, analysis, and coordinated development of strategic planning processes at Washington University, local parochial schools, and small businesses.  She has also served for a number of years as a Campaign Representative in the Education Division, fundraising for United Way of Greater St. Louis.  She was a member of the St. Peter’s Parish Board of Education for four years.

    Angie has volunteered her time and effort to building the Kirkwood Community in many different ways. Angie is a board member for SPROG Inc. (an organization that provides summer education enrichment, recreational activities, leadership and workforce training, and summer employment for Kirkwood youth) and for the Kirkwood Player’s Production Company at Kirkwood High School. She is a member of the Washington University Women’s Society Education and Business Committees, and the Washington University Parent Welcoming Committee for Kirkwood students.

    Angie supports education at Kirkwood parochial and private schools by collaborating and coordinating resources with the Kirkwood School District. As a member of St. Peter’s Parish in Kirkwood, she served four years on the St. Peter’s Parish Board of Education and currently works as a member of the Life to Eagle Board for Boy Scout Troop 323. Other community volunteer positions she has held for Kirkwood private and public schools include the following: Kirkwood High School Theater Program, Kirkwood School District Foundation, Kirkwood Pioneer Pride Band, Pioneer Athletics, KHS Cross Country, KHS Water Polo,  Kirkwood PPO parent organization and The Repertory Theater.

    Angie and her husband Bill have been proud to call Kirkwood their home for the past 27 years. They have three sons, a senior at Kirkwood High School, a 2016 KHS graduate studying at Washington University and a 2013 KHS graduate now working at the Washington University School of Medicine. Angie has dedicated her volunteer efforts to continuing to build the Kirkwood Community and looks forward to the opportunity to continue contributing to the strength of the Kirkwood School District as a board member.   

     

    Ben Caffey, Board Director 

    Ben was sworn in as a member of the Board of Education on Monday, April 17. More information coming soon. 

     

    Jennifer Pangborn, Board Director

    Jennifer Pangborn is a dedicated Kirkwood resident who values community and education.  She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a Masters of Science in Construction Management and now works as an engineer and community planner with WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff. Jennifer’s career is focused on strategic thinking and project leadership, and she is a skillful collaborator.  She helps communities plan long-term needs with fiscal constraints, all while meeting the needs of residents. Jennifer and her husband, Mike Dolde, have three boys. Joey and Billy attend Robinson Elementary, and Timmy will attend KECC in the next couple of years.

    Mike and Jennifer moved to Kirkwood in 2013, because of the award-winning schools and strong community. Jennifer has been fully committed to the community and to the education of our children. She is the PTO Co-Vice President at Robinson Elementary, and has assisted with fundraisers, coached little league sports, and mentored students on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) projects. She serves on the Kirkwood Board of Adjustment at City Hall, and functions as a peer mentor to female engineers. 

    Jennifer wants to ensure a high quality education for current and future students in our community. Her professional experience will provide her with the patience for the process, but she will insist on actions and results. She carries the leadership and insight to create policies and plans to balance the highest quality services within the constraints of a responsible budget. Jennifer is a skillful listener, and she wants to find new ways to improve communication between the School Board and the community, so important decisions and discussions are relayed to all citizens of Kirkwood.