Why is school board service important to these members

Kentucky School Advocate
January 2020

During KSBA’s 2019 Fall Regional Meetings, we asked some members why school board service was important to them. In celebration of School Board Member Recognition Month, we have compiled some of those answers.

Brenda Jackson,
Shelby County, 31 years
“We need to make sure all our children have access to a sound education that prepares them for life after they get out. We want them to be lifelong learners and so we, as the board and administrators – and the general public, want them to be prepared when they leave us. If they choose to go to college or military service or work, we’ve gotten them prepared and we’ve provided them with what they need to be successful.” 

Mickey Dunbar,
Webster County, 7 years
“I grew up in Webster County, and the Webster County school system was very important in helping me prepare for the future. I want to do everything I can to prepare our youth for their futures, too.”

 

 

Janis Winbigler,
Campbell County, 13 years
“Being on the school board is a way to give back to the community that gave so much to me. I graduated from Campbell County and so my 13 years of service have been an opportunity for me to provide some leadership back to the community that gave a lot to me.” 

 

Joanna Hinton,
LaRue County Schools, 8 years 
“School board service is important to me because I am a parent and I am a business owner. It is important to the future of my children that they get a good education and it is important to the future of my business that we are educating my future employees.”  

 

Jennifer Newby,
Boyle County, 6 years 
“The reason I think school board service is so important is for kids who can’t fight for themselves or kids who don’t have someone to fight for them, for example my kids – I’m their champion, but there are kids out there who don’t have that in their life and I want to be that for them.” 

 

Brittany Ratliff,
Pikeville Ind., 1 year
“I feel like it’s important for everyone to serve their community in some capacity. I have two small children and they’re both enrolled at Pikeville Independent and I think that it is imperative that parents be involved and I just felt like this was my opportunity to be involved in the community as well as in my children’s school.”

 

Bob Hutchison,
Johnson County, 25 years
“School board service is important to me because it allows me the opportunity to give back to the school system, and the school system is the one entity in our community that has the opportunity to shape the future for the children of the county. Therefore, with my involvement being a servant to the school system and to the children, I feel like it’s a reward for me to be able to have any or some impact for the future of the children of Johnson County.”

Faye Pharis,
Cumberland County, 4 years
“I worked for the school system for 25 years and I raised two children. I have three grandkids. The school system has been near and dear to my heart for many years and continues to be and that’s why I’m here. I just want to see that the school system is top-notch and it is.” 

 

Jina Greathouse,
Frankfort Ind., 19 years
“School board service is my opportunity to give back to my community, and more specifically to children and young people to help provide every opportunity to make them successful, productive adults.” 

 

 

Danny Fisher,
Eminence Ind., 25 years
“It is important to me because I want to see every child have a quality education and also that we engage in our children so that they will impact others in their lives.”

 

 

Jennifer Shrewsburg,
Bardstown Ind., 13 years
“Board service is important to me because of my passion for the children in my community and the pride I have in my school district.”   

 

 

Karen Allen,
Fort Thomas Ind., 15 years
“It’s about giving back to the community that I grew up in, but it’s also about the future of our country. It’s giving back to the children and helping educate them and giving them a future for what they are passionate about and what they believe in and so, my favorite moment as a school board member is handing a child their diploma.” 

 

Christie Devine,
Mercer County, 3 years 
“I decided to serve on the school board because I have children that are in the district, four children, two of which now have graduated. It was important for me to be on the school board and serve so that I knew as a parent what was going on and to be involved in some capacity.” 

 

Troy Fryman,
Boone Co. Schools, 1 year
“I’ve had the opportunity to be involved with our community for a good period of time. I have children that have gone through the Boone County school system and I’ve had the honor of recently being appointed as school board member to serve in our division 1 seat in Boone County. The importance of being a school board member are the many things we bring to the table for our community, it’s not only an outreach that I can be part of to speak on behalf of our community to have them understand what we are about and what we do for our schools but to be able to be in a position to have voice to give back and to celebrate what we have been able to provide for our students, on the strengths of the education we provde in the Boone County school system.”