Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Serving for the Greater Good

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service to others."
~ Mahatma Ghandi

From February 17th to the 21st it was School Board Appreciation Week. I wanted to spend some time recognizing those fine folks that have decided to provide a service to the students of our communities. So, let the acclamations begin!

Our elected school board members dedicate approximately 50 hours per year in official meetings related to school district business. These same folks spend much more time above and beyond these scheduled meetings reviewing materials and communicating with constituents. Their jobs are extremely important and our elected board members take them seriously. Here are some highlights of their responsibilities as provided by the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA):

As the entity legally charged with governing a school district, each school board is responsible to its community to govern efficiently and effectively. This obligation imposes some fundamental duties on the board.

VISION: The board, with community input, envisions the educational future of its community and then formulates the goals, defines the outcomes, and sets the course for the New London-Spicer School District.

STRUCTURE: To achieve its vision, the board establishes a structure and hires a superintendent to accomplish that vision.

ACCOUNTABILITY: The board is accountable to the community for constantly monitoring the conditions affecting the district as a whole.

ADVOCACY: The board advances its vision by focusing on student achievement, partnering with the community, and being proactive in addressing issues that affect education on local, state, and national levels.

CONDUCT AND ETHICS: The board, as a whole, provides leadership to the community on behalf of the district by conducting its business in a fair, respectful, legal, and responsible manner.

I am thankful that we have seven highly effective school board members ensuring our school district's vision, structure, accountability, advocacy, and ethics are forward thinking and student centered. Thank you for all you do for the students of our communities. You are appreciated! Please thank the following board members when you see them.

Lucinda Dahlberg, Chair
Susan Lange, Vice Chair
Renee Nolting, Clerk
Mark Peterson, Treasurer
Gary Danielson, Director
Cherrish Holland, Director
Nancy Wehseler, Director