Good people make for a great Bartlesville School Board

(Published Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007 in Examiner-Enterprise)

Any time is a good time to let people know exactly how much we appreciate each and every member of the Bartlesville School Board. We are fortunate to have the people who comprise our seven-member board – Barry W. Lowe (board president), Marta Manning (vice president), Charlie Daniels (clerk), Harvey Little, Jim Grillot, Doug Divelbiss and Randy John – a fair, community-minded and dedicated group.

But as the Oklahoma State School Boards Association celebrates “School Board Recognition Month” every January, this is an especially good time to discuss the good works of the Bartlesville School Board.

The National School Boards Association initiated National School Board Recognition Month in 1995 when its delegate assembly adopted a resolution for it. Individual states then picked out a month during which they wanted to recognize the contributions of their board members. Oklahoma settled upon the month of January.

The NSBA recognizes school boards as “democracy in action.” School boards have a distinguished history in our country, one which dates back to 1721, when lay citizens in Boston were given control over the schools from elected officials. The final step of the evolution of school boards occurred in 1826 when the state of Massachusetts ordered each town in the state to elect a separate school committee to take “the general charge and superintendence of all the public schools” in their respective locales.

The members of the Bartlesville School Board have done a fine job of guiding our institutions. The seven-member board has two formal meetings per month, during which the public is invited to attend. The work of a school board can be seen in recent projects which now stand proudly on the Bartlesville High School campus, such as the BHS Fieldhouse, the Fine Arts Center and the Science Wing – all of which were products of the 2001 bond issue. The Bartlesville School Board voted for that bond issue – the largest ever passed in Bartlesville history at $30.5 million – and the result is some sterling new facilities for our youngsters.

A good school board member must have the best interests of the community in mind, and ours certainly do.

School board members bear responsibility in several areas. They must understand the finances of their particular school district and make sound decisions as they relate to budgets. They must prove themselves as good stewards of the public's learning institutions as well as their tax dollars.

In addition to their regular duties, school board members often serve on various other committees as well. Bartlesville School Board members sit on committees throughout the district, such as those that focus on curriculum, facilities and salary negotiations. Some members of the Bartlesville School Board served on the Bond Design Steering Committee, which helped us develop the sterling BHS Fieldhouse, a 2,200-seat venue which was unveiled in December. The Gifted and Talented Task Force is currently exploring ways to improve our gifted and talented program.

“School Board Recognition Month” presents us with a perfect time to acknowledge the fine work of the Bartlesville School Board. However, their fine work should be commended at every available opportunity.

Good schools are defined by the good people who work within them. And good school districts must be led by a competent, caring and considerate school board.