January is School Board Recognition Month

01/13/2014 - County Superintendent Steve Herrington provides the following statement in recognition of School Board Recognition Month, January 2014.

Throughout January, I am publicly expressing my thanks to the 202 people who serve our county’s public education system as school board members. Their commitment of time, talent, and leadership expertise is part of what makes our public schools among the best in California.

Every school board member has taken on a highly visible position that can be both difficult and thankless—and it is about to become even more demanding. With the new Local Control Funding Formula, our state has put school funding decisions in the hands of locally elected board members. The funding model allows districts to be much more responsive to their students’ needs, but funding decisions must be carefully planned and monitored—and school boards have an important role in this regard.

Over the past several years, our districts have faced many difficult challenges as funding declined and programs were cut back. Working on behalf of Sonoma County’s 71,000 students, local school boards have displayed courage, sensitivity, and creativity in addressing very complex issues.

It is because of their principled leadership and focus on doing what is best for students that I am honoring and expressing appreciation to school trustees this month. Please join me in thanking the elected officials serving on Sonoma County school boards.

Steven D. Herrington, Ph.D.
Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools