I Admire My Elected (School Board) Colleagues!

As the youngest school board member, I can say confidently that I am inspired by the wisdom of my fellow board members! Tonight (July 20th, 2017) marked our seventh business board meeting together; and, after the meeting, I took time to reflect on my experience with each of my colleagues. After doing so, I thought I would share my candid observations about each of my fellow elected school board members…

I will start with our Board President John Brown. He is our elder statesman! He is the most principled man that I have ever watched in public service. His energy and love for our youth and community is exemplified in his tireless leadership, month-after-month. Our Board Vice President, Leslie Ellison, is the grandest example of leading with class and command. She is a true champion for community, parent and, most importantly, student voice. Our Property Chairman, Nolan Marshall, can be counted on to ask the right questions at the right time. His focus on the big picture of improving our system for children is unwavering, which is noted by his 30 plus years of service to our public education system. Our Accountability Chairman, Ben Kleban, owns the voice of equity and finance. His passion for ensuring that our system does right by all children is fierce and his occasional eloquent soliloquies showcase his heart and passion. Our Policy Chairwoman, Sarah Usdin, is always willing to dig deep on data to inform and maximize the outcomes for our youth. She will always ask a question to discover the deeper layer of a problem, which pushes us to higher standards and outcomes. Our Budget & Finance Chairman, Woody Koppel, speaks up to ensure that the proper process is being codified and followed. He is a stickler for doing right in process to ensure fairness and equality.

After Seven months of service, I am clear that my colleagues are rock stars for public education, our students and community! I can admit that I don’t always show up as my best self, but the way in which my colleagues show up everyday on behalf of our district inspires me to be and do better. I am proud to serve as an elected school board member along side these amazing “servant leaders.”