Monday night was Michelle Boyd’s last meeting as a member of the Pearl River County School District school board.

Boyd, who has been a member of the board for 12 years decided not to run for re-election this year and to step down from the board.

“I choose to because it was time for someone else who had kids there,” to be a part of the board, Boyd said.

Boyd and her family moved to the area after living in New Orleans. She said she decided to join the board because she was very involved in the school, went to all the board meetings and “thought I could do some good.”

She said she was surprised she won over the previous member who had been on the board for many years. Boyd said also she was surprised because she was an outsider. The other board members at the time were natives of Pearl River County.

“It was really nice to know they were willing to let people in with other ideas,” Boyd said.

She said over the years many things have changed and it has been a positive experience for her.

“It’s like a family,” she said about the school district.

Boyd said she was the one who approached incoming board member Natalie Glorioso about running for election. She said Glorioso will be a great addition to the board.

Superintendent Alan Lumpkin said he has been fortunate enough to work with Boyd for the past two years and recognized her consistent leadership and the high expectations she held for the school district.

“She based her decisions on the students and anytime you make decisions based on the students, you’re making the right decision,” Lumpkin said.

He also commented that it’s in part that because of her leadership that the school district has had such high state testing rankings.

Board member Twilia Crabtree said Boyd “is a person that is truly dedicated to the needs of the children.”

Crabtree said it was a joy to work with Boyd and said Boyd was always “steadfast” when it came to the budget.

Board President Jeff Jones said the six years he has served with Boyd has been productive. He said Boyd being conscious of the budget has been very important for the board.

“She was steadfast when it came to the budget, but it has always been for the benefit of the children,” Crabtree said.

Boyd admits to being a stickler on the budget, but she explained it was because she always wanted to make sure the school district would have money that would provide for the children, even after her time on the board ended.

“We’ve seen the school district improve, both in student achievement and quality of personnel. The insight she’s had and given to the board has been very valuable,” Jones said.

Crabtree said she looks forward to working with Glorioso, who will be taking Boyd’s place on the board. Crabtree said she first got to know her as a concerned parent and now as a future colleague.

“She is an advocate for the success of the district, as well as the children,” Crabtree said about Glorioso.

Jones said that while he has not had an opportunity to get to know Glorioso very well, he said he knows “she’s very involved in what’s going on in the school district and she seems to be focused on what’s best for our students.”

Lumpkin said, “Mrs. Glorioso has been very active in the school district and we’re looking forward to working with her on the school board.”

He added that she has always had high expectations for her children and knows she will have high expectations for the school board as well.

At Monday’s school board meeting, Boyd was recognized by Lumpkin with a plaque for her time on the board.