As a newly-elected School Board member, one thing I quickly learned was how the board’s roles and responsibilities differed from those of superintendent. The board approves actions set forth by the superintendent. It is the superintendent and administrators that do the work at the district and school level. Further, while we certainly need to be knowledgeable about federal and state law, it is the board’s responsibility to follow those guidelines.

As was stated in a recent letter to the editor, Arizona is ranked among the worst states in student funding. While the School Board recognizes this, we’re not in control of state budgets or policies regarding mandated testing and achievement scores.

The board is committed to working together for the best interest of the children in our community. Thus, it is critical to be transparent in our examination of the district. Participating in an annual retreat is how the board sets appropriate yearly goals.

The meeting summary provided in the newspaper highlighted what took place over a four-hour time period. The strengths listed were numerous, but not all made the article. Strengths included: our small school atmosphere, extracurricular activities, STEM and computer programs, achievement scores (yes, our achievement scores are impressive when we take into account the percentage of students from economic disadvantage in our district), “specials” that are offered at all of the schools and have never been cut due to budget issues, and many others.

We also listed challenges and opportunities, understanding that without acknowledging challenges, one cannot “fix” them. Just as in other districts across the state, FHUSD struggles with budgetary constraints (imposed on us by the state), mandated testing, and low teacher pay.

To learn more, community members are always invited to attend board meetings. The School Board values the community’s input and we ask that the community understand that we work within the boundaries of state law.