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May is School Board appreciation month

May is School Board appreciation month

May has been designated as “School Board Recognition Month” by the Iowa Association of School Boards. This year’s theme is “School Boards Matter: Making a Difference for Iowa’s Students.”

In Charles City and across our state, school board members face a variety of challenges on a regular basis. Yet few people truly understand the scope of school board members’ responsibilities. All Iowans should recognize the important contributions of these community leaders, and focus their attention on the crucial role these elected public officials play in the education of our children.

School board members establish a vision for the educational programming of the school district, hire a superintendent to achieve that vision, ensure that schools are accountable to the community, and advocate for continuous improvement in student learning. Here in Charles City, the work of our School Board members also has involved traveling to Des Moines each of the past two years to advocate for adequate school funding for all students in Iowa.

The work of a school board member involves an endless array of meetings and school functions to attend; volumes of paperwork to read and study; and a host of difficult decisions to make.

Our School Board members come from all walks of life: artist, business owners, farmer and forester. Although their backgrounds differ, they share a common goal of excellence and equity in public education.

Board members contribute countless hours each year leading their districts. They keep their focus on increased student achievement as they simultaneously craft and revise policies, listen to stakeholder concerns, and recognize outstanding programs. The time spent in board meetings represents just a small fraction of the hours board members spend fulfilling their duties.

In addition, board members also invest in their own professional growth through seminars and training sessions to keep updated on the latest trends in educational reform as well as spending many hours at extracurricular events.

Charles City School Board members have the distinction of being the only school board in Iowa in which 100 percent of the board members earned the Better Boardsmanship Award through the Iowa Association of School Boards in 2014-15.

Please join me in thanking our School Board members and recognizing their efforts to make the Charles City Community School District a world-class system.

President Scott Dight served for 12 years (1993-2005) before being re-elected to the board in 2013.

Lorraine Winterink in is her fifth year.

James Frisbie and Robin Macomber are in their third year.

Jason Walker was appointed to the board in July of 2014 and won election in September of 2015.

Staff at the Iowa Association of School Boards contributed to this blog post.

Dr. Dan Cox

Charles City Schools Superintendent

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