Dear Editor:

School board members play a pivotal role in preparing students for life.

The citizens of Selma will elect two local school board members during the run-off election on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

School board members perform multiple duties and can have an important influence on the direction of the entire school system.

What makes a great school board member?

An effective school board member has unique characteristics.  The signs of an effective school board member found at greatschools.org are:

• Great school board members have a clear vision for the district. They set the vision and goals, and measure the success of the district and superintendent against the goals.

• Great school board members communicate their actions to the community.

Through public discourse and written reports, great school board members keep the public informed of the district’s progress and challenges.

• Great school board members work as a team. They collaborate well with others and are respectful of the other board members and superintendent.

• Great school board members adopt a fiscally sound district budget.

They pay attention to finances and regularly monitor the fiscal health of the district.

• Great school board members focus on what is best for all students.

They focus on student achievement and implementing policies that will ensure success for all students.

• Great school board members advocate at the local, state and national level for public education. They take advantage of opportunities to communicate the needs of public schools to other levels of government and advocate for strong public schools.

Some incumbent school board members are ineffective. These individuals should be replaced. The website further named the signs of an ineffective school board member as:

• The school board member continually focuses on one issue or talks aimlessly at meetings.

• The school board member doesn’t conduct himself or herself in a respectful, collaborative manner in public.

• The school board member comes to meetings unprepared.

• The school board member “rubber stamps” all the superintendent’s proposals without asking hard questions.

• The school board member micromanages rather than focusing attention on district-wide policies.

• The school board member uses his or her position on the school board as an opportunity to put forth a political agenda with litter relevance to student achievement.

The school children of Selma deserve more than a mediocre school board.

The selection of wise individuals in this year’s election ensures an intellectual school board.

 

Gerald Shirley

Selma