Johnston School Board Members Recognized for Achievement

The Johnston school board believes in continuing to learn, members take time to further their own understanding of board practices and policy.

This year the board received a group and four individual awards of achievement from the Iowa Association of School Boards annual convention in November.

The 2009-10 Johnston School board comprised of Julie Walter, Mike Farrell, John Dutcher, Jill Morrill, Marci Cordaro, and former members Tracey Orman and Jackie Heiser, were honored in IASB's Better Boardmanship Awards Program.

Individual Award of Achievement recipients from Johnston were Tracey Orman, John Duthcer, Jill Morrill and Juile Walter.

The awards recognize board members and superintendents who put forth extra time and energy to strengthen their boardmanship abilities through workshops, lobbying and in-service programs.

Board member John Dutcher, who also received an individual Award of Achievement, said the time board members spend at IASB events and conferences was well worth it.

"As a relatively new board member, I understood that anyone that would be elected to office wouldn't be road-ready on day one," Dutcher said. "There is a tremendous amount of learning that needs to take place."

While the workshops and conferences offer insight for new board members, working with other boards and administrators is also paramount.

"You talk to peers on other board and there is a lot of shared learning as far as best practices," he said.

One example of learning from other boards, Dutcher said, is with the current controversy over the district's school calendar.

Dutcher was able to speak to a board member from the West Des Moines district to see how they accomplish finals before winter break, but maintain a late August start date.

"We can form questions to consider when putting together our calendar," he said. "It helps in a lot of ways."

Dutcher said he plans to continue seeking opportunities through IASB to stay engaged while a board member.