Friday, March 1, 2002
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Friday, March 1, 2002 |
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School board week is next week Gov. Roy Barnes has proclaimed the week of March 4-8 School Board Member Appreciation Week in Georgia. The week-long observance calls attention to the contributions of members of local boards of education. Says Fulton County school Superintendent Stephen Dolinger, "We are fortunate in Fulton County to have school board members who believe in being accountable to their students, parents, and taxpayers. At times, they are confronted with difficult decisions, but they always keep the best interest of students in mind. "Under their leadership," he added, "the Fulton County School System is meeting our challenges and earning a national reputation for excellence. While they willingly accept their responsibilities without expecting to be praised, we wholeheartedly believe that the seven members of the Fulton County Board of Education deserve a pat on the back for their dedication and allegiance to public school students." As constitutional officers of Georgia, school board members are responsible for setting educational and personnel policies, providing buildings and equipment, operating a transportation system, and approving the school system budget. As community leaders, school board members serve as advocates for the children in local public schools and must study, evaluate and decide what actions are in the best interest of those students. In Fulton, that deliberation involves considerable input from residents. Each member of the Fulton board meets monthly with constituents from his/her district. The board also requests that school system committees include parent representatives. Time is set aside at each board meeting to hear from the community, and public hearings are conducted to receive feedback on various issues. "Our board truly believes that the public must be involved in public education," said Dolinger. "They go above and beyond to encourage community participation in board decision-making activities." The Fulton County Board of Education was one of 24 school boards from across the country selected to receive the 2001 Magna Award from the American School Board Journal. The award recognizes boards for outstand ing programs that advance student learning. Fulton was cited for implementation of its Model for Excellence management framework. Fulton's board members are elected by district to four-year terms. The board president is Linda Bryant, who represents unincorporated southwest Fulton. Roswell resident Ron Jackson is the vice president. Other members and their general area of representation are Julia Bernath, portions Sandy Springs and Roswell; Zenda Bowie, East Point; Gail Dean, Sandy Springs; Frank Lambert, South Fulton, and Katie Reeves, Alpharetta. For information on the board members visit www.fulton.k12.ga.us, under "About Fulton." The Georgia School Boards Association, sponsor of the celebration, is a voluntary statewide organization of local boards of education. This year, Fulton board member Zenda Bowie serves as the GSBA president. The organization serves as an advocate for the interest of the state's public school students and local school boards and provides in-service training and technical assistance to Georgia's local school systems and school board members.
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