The appointment of a school board member will be happening next week. Mr. Jonathan Denton has resigned his position as Trustee on the Maple Valley School Board. Next Tuesday we will be appointing a new board member to take his place at an open meeting held at 6 pm in the Board Room of Maple Valley Schools.
We have an excellent field of candidates who have applied for the position. These folks have stepped forward to be considered for the 17-month appointment which will complete the four-year term formerly held by Mr. Denton. At that time, the position will be open once again for the voting public to select a trustee to serve on the board.
When a vacated board position is filled there is a process that must be followed. All interested candidates are to be interviewed in an open meeting by the 6-member board. All Candidates must meet the following criteria for eligibility to serve. The must be a registered voter in the Maple Valley District, at least 18 years of age, a US Citizen, a resident (regularly inhabit, keep personal effects and regularly sleeps at) of the Maple Valley School District and have been for at least 30 days, and not been convicted of a felony involving dishonesty, deceit, fraud, or a breach of the public trust within the preceding 20 years.
Board Members are responsible for four major responsibilities: Develop a strategic plan for guiding the district toward a vision; Hire and evaluate the Superintendent; Monitor and Assess district performance to keep the public informed; and to advocate for students and public schools within the community, state and nation.
In evaluating the candidates our existing board has agreed to seek the following qualities in a new trustee:
- Put children first
- Not advance a personal or political agenda. Board membership is an apolitical position with a unifying interest in quality, public education.
- Provide leadership through innovative problem-solving and consensus-building.
- Appreciate the social and cultural needs of all children and their families
- Understand budget and finance to maintain a balanced budget
- Know educational policy and the role of the board as a whole to make local policy
- Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness and maintain a high ethical standard
- Understand community outreach to garner public input
- Maintain accountability for the Superintendent and know they are accountable to the community
If you are interested in our process, please feel free to join us for the open meeting on Tuesday the 14th as the new board member is selected through interviews and resume reviews. This is our local government in action and we hope you remain an informed stakeholder!
It is a great day to be in the Valley!
Dr. Bertolini
