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Thanks, board members

To the Editor:

On behalf of the teachers at Fairmont Area Schools, I would like to say thank you to our dedicated school board members. The Education Minnesota Fairmont members will join other teachers throughout the state to salute their local education leaders during Minnesota’s annual School Board Recognition Week; Feb. 16-20.

The week is designed to recognize the contributions made by Minnesota school board members, including the Fairmont Area School Board, who are charged with governing public education under state law.

Minnesota school board members are chosen by their communities through election or appointment to manage local schools. They oversee multimillion-dollar budgets that fund education programs for more than 825,000 students in about 2,000 schools. Their personal decisions affect more than 52,000 teachers and thousands of administrators and support workers.

These volunteer leaders also are responsible for formulating school district policy, approving curricula, maintaining school facilities, and adhering to state and federal education laws. Legal concerns and the complexities of school finance, including budgeting and taxation, require them to spend many hours in board training programs and personal study to enhance their understanding of these issues.

Our board members come from all walks of life. They might be doctors, radio personalities, nurses, retirees, business owners or managers, lawyers or homemakers, to name just a few. Although they serve many roles in the workday world, school board members put on a collective hat when they get down to business of leading their school districts. Board members must pull together as a team toward a common goal-helping students achieve. Though they may individually disagree on certain issues, their role as a board is to consistently strive toward that goal.

The Fairmont teachers extend their deepest appreciation to the dedicated men and women who make it possible for local citizens to participate in education in our community. We salute the public servants of the Fairmont Area School Board whose commitment and civic responsibility make local control of public schools in our community possible. Thank you Diane Gerhardt, Danielle Schutz, Dan Brookens, Dr. Rufus Rodriguez, Julie Laue and Nicole Green for your dedicated service to our community. Your work is appreciated by the teachers and students in our district.

Bob Millette, president

Education Minnesota Fairmont

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