What makes a good school board member?

Here are the top qualifications and characteristics I feel a good school board member must have:

• Have kids attending school in the district. What better way to know the pulse of the schools than to have children enrolled in the district? They see the good and the bad that happens on a daily basis in the schools. They talk to us about things that the administration doesn’t want to talk about, for example, not feeling safe going into bathrooms because of the drug use that is going on. As a parent of four children in the district, this is something I am able to experience daily.

• A school board member should communicate their actions to the community. Communication between our school board and community is severely lacking today. As a school board member, I will use social media, public discourse and written reports to keep the public informed on the district’s progress and challenges. 

• Be able to ask the hard questions if he/she feels what is being proposed isn’t in the best interest of our children. Everything that is done on a board level should always have the end goal of improving the educational experience for our children. Too many policies and programs are being implemented without the board taking the time to investigate whether it is in the best interest of our children.

• Be a voice for the community, teachers and students. A school board member is elected by the community. After getting elected, they need to be the voice of the community. They need to answer questions that the community asks via email, phone or at board meetings. I know it takes a lot of time and effort to accomplish this, but the community, teachers and students deserve to have a voice on the school board.

• Be willing to be part of a team. Everyone that is elected to the school board should have equal rights. Not everyone on the board has to be friends, and not everyone will always agree, but everyone should be willing to overcome any differences to make sure our children are getting the best education possible.

These are all characteristics that I have and qualifications that I meet that will help me to become a great school board member. Nothing is more important than our children’s education. If I am elected to the school board, I will take the input from my children and make the day-to-day experience better for all of our children. I will communicate regularly the progress we are making and the challenges we are facing. I will question the administration if I feel policies and programs being proposed are not in the best interest of our children. I will be a voice for the community, teachers and students. Finally, I will come in with an open mind and be willing to work with my colleagues to make this the best school district possible.

Aaron Phillips

Albert Lea