What do School Board Members do when not in Board Meetings?

The highest priority for School Board Members is to vote and file the annual Budget. This is the instrument that guides the district and provides for education and the operation of buildings and transportation. Now that the 2011-2012 Budget has passed and is filed, ever wonder what else we are doing?

I can only speak to my schedule since we do not communicate with each other. Sunshine Laws prevent us from privately speaking about issues that may come up for a vote. All matters concerning what we vote on are discussed in workshops or at public meetings so we cannot privately discuss matters. Workshops are scheduled monthly on topics that range from how we evaluate the Superintendent, Attorney and Auditor to health care plans and land use or recently the sale of buildings and how that will be handled.

Privately, I receive calls and emails from parents, community members and staff members with questions or concerns. It could be helping to find the right school or program for a student who is not successful at one school but finds the right fit in another. This week a parent has a question about the sex education program we recently started and wanted to know what was included in this program. My job is to coordinate that information to that parent. Questions about portables, issues with overcrowding and for some schools it is under utilization.

I'm also meeting and discussing a future program for vocational and technical instruction at a high school level for those students. The instruction is designed to be for those who are not able or wanting to go to college right now but still need to have skills that prepare them for a job in the community and the ability to go to MTI or another college later. For some students who live with single parents, helping to provide for their family is their immediate priority. Some students graduate and have children to care for and these are the challenges and questions that come along each week as a School Board Member.

School Board Members live in the District they represent (District 3 is my area) but we are voted on and represent students and concerns across the county. Community members should know they can contact any School Board Member for their concerns and comments. I can be reached at aranibarj@manateeschools.net or my cell at 941.705.1010. Thank you for the opportunity to represent Manatee County on our School Board.