What have I done?

Someone asked me today to "bullet point" some of what I've been up to during my time on the Board of Education Here's a quick snapshot:

I have been a member of the Communications and Facilities Committees all three years, as well as the BOE liaison to the Fields Committee. I am also a member of the Board’s Negotiating Committee in our current negotiations with the REA.

In terms of communications, I’ve worked on implementing the District’s new website and Skyward systems, helped with communications on the budget and referendum, where we instituted more public meetings and public input than ever before…I also worked with the committee on the parent survey which we started last year and will repeat this spring…I’m proud of that survey experience, as that was one of the goals I talked about during my campaign three years ago.

I have worked hard on my personal communications as a Board member, writing this blog for three years, and incorporating social media like Facebook and Twitter to dialogue with residents.

On Facilities, I -– and the committee -- worked hard on first prioritizing facilities needs and designing the referendum projects, then explaining the needs and the referendum to the community and now reviewing and monitoring the projects on a regular basis.

On the Fields Committee, I have represented the BOE (and our constituents, including students, parents, staff or neighbors) to the committee in discussions and work, and I’ve reported in detail back to the full Board to ensure all BOE members are educated and informed regarding fields issues.

As a member of the Board’s Negotiation Team, currently in negotiations with the REA, I’m excited by the potential and opportunity that contract negotiations represent – for both “sides.” Obviously I can’t speak to any specifics regarding negotiations (they are confidential), but I can say that my (and the Board’s) goal is a productive negotiation process that results in an agreement that is mutually satisfactory to the BOE, the membership of the REA, and the community, and that meets the needs of our students. I will work tirelessly to fulfill my responsibility to our students and taxpayers.

Other than those committee highlights, I have not missed a Board meeting and I've only missed committee meetings when there was a rare conflict with my "real" job. I thoroughly prepare for every meeting, I receive and respond to questions from the community, I attend several HSA meetings and the Federated HSA meeting each month, and I love more than anything attending school events throughout the District, such as International Day at Hawes, Celebration of Learning at Orchard, the Ridge Restaurant, the BF Turkey Trot and more. My very favorite thing is watching our students and teachers at work...it still gives me chills any time I can spend some time in a classroom. That is what it's all about.