Nov. 3 will be an important day for Durango School District 9-R and for our community. Two seats on the Board of Education will be up for election, and the school board will transition from a seven-member to a five-member board.
I am writing to encourage district residents to consider running for the 9-R school board. The two available vacancies are in Districts B and D, and candidates must live in the 9-R district for at least one full year. A map of the board districts can be found at www.durangoschool.org under “Quick Links” called “Director District Map.”
This is an exciting and challenging time to be involved in shaping the education of our children. Exciting in that the Board of Education is expanding its links with community groups, is enhancing its long-term vision for the district and is responding to the national concern about the level of assessment in our students’ lives. Challenging in that we are working to overcome flat achievement growth as we continue to see limited state funding.
Fortunately, we are well-positioned to meet these challenges. We have a dedicated group of teachers, staff and administrators who are passionate about education and who work hard each day to make sure our children are learning.
Additionally, in Dan Snowberger, we have a superintendent who has demonstrated the ability to work with the school board, district staff and our community to make necessary changes.
The Board of Education plays an integral role in ensuring that the mission of the district – “to ensure each student develops the skills and attributes for lifelong learning and has the ability to compete and contribute in the global community” is accomplished.
Yes, the time commitment required to be on the school board is considerable. However, aside from Tuesday evening meetings, most of the additional time necessary to be an effective and engaged board member is flexible and can be worked into your current work and family schedule.
If you have a passion for education, please consider running. Do not let the idea of running a campaign intimidate you. We live in a community where school board elections are important events but do not require much (if any) money.
For more information about running for the school board, visit the district’s website at www.durangoschools.org. Please feel free to call any current board member to learn firsthand about the rewards of representing Durango on 9-R’s school board.
Andy Burns is the president of the Durango School District 9-R Board of Education. He was elected from District C. Reach him at aburns@durango.k12.co.us.
Editor’s note: The two board seats to be contested in the November election are currently held by Stephanie Moran and Brieanne Stahnke. According to District 9-R, both have indicated an interest in running for re-election. Incumbents whose seats will not be contested include Kim Martin, Nancy Stubbs and board president Burns. Current board members Mick Souder and Greg Spradling will be leaving the board with the change from seven members to five.
Want to run?
Petitions to run for a seat on the District 9-R school board are available at the Administration Building, 201 East 12th Street in Durango. They must be returned with at least 50 signatures by Aug. 28.
