Commentary; Posted: 3/9/05
School board members help kids succeed
Lynn Steenblock
Guest Columnist
With a passion for the children of our school district, Forest Lake Area School Board members work hard to ensure a high quality education for all. School board members are citizens, just like you, whose decisions affect our children ó what they learn, who will teach them and what kinds of facilities house their classrooms.
Across the state, we honor these dedicated individuals during School Board Recognition Week (Feb. 28- March 6). The commemorative week is a time to salute their hard work and promote understanding of the role of the school board in our system of public schools. Our school board is one of 341 such boards across the state.
The tradition of local school boards began more than 300 years ago. No level of government more closely reflects the values of local control and accountability than school boards.
Voters elect board members and the work of the school board is conducted in public. If they need additional resources for our students, whether itís a new building or support for operating costs, they must get approval from local voters. And the focus of their work ó student achievement ó is tested and reported to the community.
With the counsel of the education professionals they hire, our school board members have an impact on virtually every aspect of our schools. Their most important goal is to keep the school system focused on raising student achievement and ensuring students learn the importance of hard work, persistence and responsible, respectful behavior.
School board members represent you, and they take this responsibility seriously by attending meetings, conferences and other events where they broaden their knowledge about education and advocate for quality public schools.
They volunteer hundreds of hours and an immeasurable amount of energy to make certain that our schools are providing the best education possible for all children in our communities.
We salute the public servants of the Forest Lake Area School Board, whose dedication and civic responsibility make local control of public schools possible.
Please join with us in thanking the following school board members for all they do to help shape a brighter tomorrow for our students: Dean Barr, 9 years; Bill Bresin, 13 years; Keith Dunham, 1 year; Joe Grafft, 6 years; Jodi Krebs, 4 years; Karen Morehead, 10 years; and Robert Rapheal, 2 years.
Writer Lynn Steenblock is superintendent of schools in ISD 831.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605