January is School Board Appreciation Month. It is a time where local districts and communities can learn more about the demands and the activities that are part of being a school board member. While most people know that the school board holds monthly meetings (EISD’s are on the third Tuesday of each month), they may not be aware that our Board Members attend training sessions each year (sometimes more than once a year) to keep informed of educational practices and issues. These trainings are often times multiple day trainings that take our Board Members away from their families and their jobs. The training sessions usually start early in the morning and last throughout the day.
In addition, between training sessions, our Board Members must stay abreast of the many changes that are common in our educational system. A great example is from this last legislative session. With the passage of HB 5, multiple changes at multiple levels in our educational system were adopted and implemented. Local boards throughout the state must learn about these changes and make decisions that will be in the best interest of their districts.
Finally, school board members do all of this on a voluntary basis. School board members do not receive a salary or a stipend for their work. Please join with me to extend a special thank you to the members of EISD’s Board of Trustees for all of their hard work and dedication to providing a world-class education to our students.
Members of the EISD’s Board of Trustees include:
Gary Walsh – President
Michael Cates – Vice President
Ashley McKee – Secretary
Cotton Walker – Member
Sonny Hodge – Member
Bobby Ashton – Member
Steve Bell – Member