Crevecouer: Reflections and lessons after a year on school board
Winning a seat on the school board in 2021 was both exciting and daunting. As a mother of five adult children, an obstetric and gynecologic physician, a 16-year-plus community member, and the first Black woman to hold this seat, I have a vested interest in the education of our children and felt honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process. Looking back on my first year, I can confidently say it was a challenging but rewarding experience.
After attending the many committee meetings last year in the offices behind Memorial Field at differing days and times throughout the week, I was introduced to the complexities of educational policies, school funding budgets, new curriculum purchases and infrastructural repairs. I quickly discovered the many regulations and guidelines to follow to receive funding and the many policies that needed to be written and amended to meet the changing landscape. I also faced the challenge of balancing the different needs and conflicting perspectives of parents, teachers, administrators and taxpayers and the difficulty in finding common ground. However, one of the most challenging aspects of the job was navigating social and political issues in the current educational climate. Whether it’s debates over curriculum content, school safety policies or social justice initiatives, these issues are complex, divisive and emotionally charged.
To resolve the many challenges that welcomed me during my first year, I learned that the best approach to most of them was to tackle them directly by engaging the community with an open mind, a commitment to listening to all viewpoints, gathering evidence-based information from a variety of sources, consulting experts in the field, and above all, proceed with a focus on the best interests of all the students. Following this approach allowed me to make informed decisions that served the best interests of our students while helping explain to the community the rationale of my decision in informal meetings held at coffee shops or Schlow library and on David Hutchinson’s talk show, The Discomfort Zone.
However, after carefully listening to the community and analyzing all the data, I learned that as a board member, I must also stand up for my values and principles, even in the face of opposition or criticism. This means being willing to make difficult decisions that may not be popular with all stakeholders but are necessary to ensure all students safety and well-being.
Despite these challenges, my first year on the school board was gratifying. Seeing how the board’s decisions positively impacted our students and families is beautiful. Whether it is approving a new curriculum, forming a new wrestling girls’ team, allocating funds for much-needed infrastructure improvements, developing our sustainability project with the Solar Power Purchase Agreement Plan with other local groups, formulating a new strategic plan and an equity audit plan, or hiring a new DEIB director, and a new superintendent, I feel that we are making a difference in the lives of our community members. I also appreciated the opportunity to learn from my fellow board members, who came with diverse expertise and experiences.
Moving forward, I know more work is needed for our diverse student body and community, but I am excited to continue serving on the school board and build on the lessons learned in my first year. I am committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success in the 21st century. I believe that we can make a lasting difference in our students’ lives through engagement, transparency and staying focused on our shared goals.