The Concord School Board Wants YOU!!!

The has four seats up for election this fall.

This is significant as the whole tenor of the board could change should four new people be elected to fill these spots. In recent years (especially last year) interest by citizens in running for seats has been low. Once it was clear that the three available seats last year would be filled, no one else filed to run. There was no election. , and I all became school board members once the filing period closed.

While this saved all of us money for signs and time in front of the camera, I do not believe it was the healthiest option for our city. I feel that this reflects either apathy among our citizens, or a serious disconnect between what people think they can do and their belief that they can actually make it happen. Poor citizen attendance at meetings appears to support these beliefs. There are also, I believe, many misconceptions regarding public service.

First and foremost, I think the average person feels that the time commitment will be too much. As a very busy mother of two, I can assure you that I have managed to fit the school board meetings quite easily into my life. I began my service in the middle of approving a budget and teacher negotiations. If there was ever a busy season school board wise this was it.

While there were one or two weeks that had me at meetings more than once, for the most part a typical month consists of four or maybe five meetings at the most. The scheduled length of both committee and full board meetings is 60 to 90 minutes, with many being much shorter. All board members have families, jobs and other commitments to attend to. Not one of them wants multiple meetings. The meetings we have are efficient, organized, collegial, and productive.

Second, I believe the average citizen may feel they are not qualified to sit on the board. To be sure, running a $75 million business can seem daunting, but I have learned much over the last nine months and feel that my skill set, knowledge and ideas are as relevant and important as anyone on the board. The school district has qualified paid attorneys on consult, a business manager, a human resources director, assistant superintendent and superintendent to deal with the details of the tasks the board is asked to consider and oversee.

While having a board member with a legal background, and one or two with business and insurance backgrounds will make much of the information easier for those not educated in these areas, not all board members need to possess these skills. The main qualifications for being an effective board member, in my mind are a passion for quality education and the desire for honesty and integrity in the running of the district as it pertains to the treatment of both the people in it and the people paying for it. There are many decisions, on many levels addressing many things that are made before the day to day life of children in the classroom is even considered. This has been tremendously eye opening for me.

So ... why should you the average citizen, the retired teacher, the security guard at the mall, the line cook, the nurse, the day care provider, the administrative assistant, the real estate agent - you get the idea - run for school board? Because the school district needs you, with all of your unique and valuable skills to run for a seat. The district is comprised of teachers, teaching assistants, custodians, bus drivers, secretaries, crossing guards, maintenance workers, nurses, cooks, counselors and administrators.

The majority of its employees is paid a very middle class salary and lives the basic “American Dream” kind of life. Many of its employees live at a very minimal salary level and struggle financially. A relatively small portion of CSD employees receive a more generous salary and are able to feel truly secure financially. Concord is a middle class city and although the government agencies and give us a large number of attorneys and physicians, the majority of students in the Concord Schools are not from wealthy families. A school board that reflects the constituents it represents will be a healthy and productive one. With no offense intended to the four attorneys currently serving on the board, (who are, after all, the hard working and dedicated professionals I am honored to serve with) my point is that many people feel intimidated by what looks like a small and powerful group of people. I have heard this sentiment expressed many times. I felt intimidated myself when I took the leap and filed for a seat on the board. I need not have felt that way. While I still have much to learn, I have been treated kindly and given positive support from all current board members as well as several former ones.

Wednesday Sept. 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the board room at , the school board will be hosting an information session for those of you who may be interested in what serving on the school board is all about.

I encourage you to attend. In my 9 months on the board I have heard genuine praise, concern, disdain, and anger from many citizens over a number of issues facing our school district. I have been questioned on policies and practices. My most common response is to encourage people to run for the board. A school board is a wonderful way to participate in the civic activities affecting your community. Whether or not you think you are qualified, have enough time, or will be taken seriously, the school board is just nine people, with more similarities than differences, trying to make education a quality product in Concord. I hope to see a good turnout Wednesday night and a spirited election season during October. The children of Concord need you.