To the Editor:

January is School Board Recognition Month across Kentucky. Locally, our elected school board members give Grayson County citizens a voice in education decision making. And even though January is a time designated to show our appreciation, theirs is truly a year-round commitment.

Collectively they oversee a $35 million annual budget that funds everything from buildings and buses to computers and salaries. They must balance the community’s tax revenues and the district’s financial needs, all during a time when state funding for education is not keeping pace with those growing demands.

Like our students, the members of our board must do their homework, whether sifting through complicated test data and financial reports or keeping up-to-date on the latest state and federal government requirements. They must also be prepared to take on the unanticipated challenges that can quickly become headline makers.

Our board members demonstrate on a daily basis an unwavering commitment to our students, to our teachers, and to finding the resources needed to foster an excellent learning atmosphere. Together and individually, they devote countless hours to making sure our schools are helping every child successfully learn in school and beyond, as they leave our classrooms for college and career.

While some assume that school board service occurs at just a monthly meeting, our board members are an ever-present link between district, schools and community. They work to build partnerships that will serve both our students and our community. They cheer on, applaud and encourage our students and our teams at the myriad of competitions, plays, ballgames and other activities in our schools.

Our school board members are committed to using their vision and their voice, knowing that their actions and decisions affect the present and the future lives of our children and our community. Grayson County’s most precious resource is extremely well-represented by Carolyn Thomason, Valeria Hayes-Hicks, Mona Fulkerson, Charlotte Gower and Anna Majors.

This month is a perfect time to say “thank you.” We are, indeed, fortunate to have a board with such dedication to Guide Children to Succeed – all twelve months of the year.

Barry Anderson, Superintendent

Grayson County Schools