ANTOINETTE "TONI" TURNQUIST

Teacher
​Inducted in 2015

Dr. Turnquist was inducted into the SHSAA Hall of Fame in 2015 and awarded our Distinguished Teacher Award.

Dr. Antoinette “Toni” Turnquist, OPS Chief Operations Officer, is a renowned educator, administrator, writer and artist. She earned a B.F.A. with Distinction in art from OU (now UNO), an M.S. in counseling and guidance from UNO, and an Ed.D. in education administration, curriculum and instruction from UNL. She was an OPS teacher of studio art, art history, women’s studies, and humanities for 39 years. During this time period she served over three decades as SHS department chair of visual arts, foreign language, ESL, and finally the merged Fine Arts Department (FAD). The FAD included visual arts, vocal music, instrumental music, drama, technical theater, women’s studies, and humanities.

For 10 years, she was co-coach of the SHS Academic Decathlon Team, which won bronze and silver awards, and won the Nebraska Gold Medal Championship in 1990. That team competed in the National Academic Decathlon Competition and placed seventh in the nation in the Super Quiz portion of the competition.

Dr. Turnquist received the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher award and is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. She received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and Arts on the Green for 35 years of leadership in arts education. She was a part-time instructor of drawing and painting at UNO for 10 years. Dr. Turnquist moved into OPS central office administration as Coordinator of Business Services, then Director of Business Services. She was appointed Executive Director of District Operational Services and her title was changed to OPS Chief Operations Officer. Dr. Turnquist’s articles have been published in art education journals and she has been a producing artist for more than 50 years. During that time, her drawings and paintings have been included in exhibits in seven states.