Northwest Iowa — May is School Board Recognition Month in Iowa.
The Iowa Association of School Boards or IASB says that they sponsor the month to help schools and communities recognize school board members in Iowa and build community awareness and understanding of the role of school boards. The association’s Tammy Votava says that school board members are volunteers who put in a significant time commitment — and they rarely receive the thanks they deserve. She says their common goal is excellence and equity in public education.
We had a chance to talk to Susie Borman, who is the board chair of the Sibley-Ocheyedan School District. She says boards can make a difference, and gives us an example of how they worked with students and the community.
She says they were able to come up with a plan and funding.
Borman says serving on the school board is a volunteer act — it’s an unpaid position. She says this community service is important to the success of students and communities.
The IASB says the time spent in board meetings represents just a small fraction of the hours school board members spend leading in their districts. They say board members often put in long hours formulating school policy, approving curricula, maintaining school facilities, and adhering to state and federal education law. They say understanding these issues requires many hours in board training programs and personal study. The association encourages Iowa citizens to thank their local school board members for their service.
