Show your School Board some appreciation

By proclamation of the governor, January is School Board Recognition Month. It’s a great time to recognize our elected community members who selflessly give their time and energy in support of high-quality public schooling for our youth. School board members in Tumwater are entrusted by this community with responsibility for 6,500 students, 800+ employees and 14 school programs.

School boards are charged with making decisions that can sometimes be quite difficult, or require sifting through a great deal of information. They also bear responsibility for developing a vision to guide the school district for years to come. Through collaboration as a team and engagement with staff and our community, their governance and advocacy are focused on ensuring every student in Tumwater learns in a caring, engaging environment and graduates career and college ready.

This January, I encourage all members of the community to thank their school board members. Please thank them for volunteering their time and playing a critical role that helps form the bedrock of our democracy — public education. As a crucial bridge between the community and the school district, their efforts are instrumental in helping all of us realize the hopes and dreams we have for the children of our community.

The men and women serving Tumwater and their years of service are: President Jay Wood (22), Vice President Janine Ward (20), Rita Luce (12), Kim Reykdal (6), and Melissa Beard (1). Thank you for your collective dedication and service!

This story was originally published January 20, 2018 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Show your School Board some appreciation."