An Introduction to This Publication

Hi, I am in my second year of being an elected school board member for Gilbert Community School District in Iowa. The first year I was so green and deep down on the learning curve. (It wasn’t all that planned — it just sorta happened one week). I didn’t know what information I could share, how I could share it, or who would be interested.

Now I am in my second year. I have a pretty good handle on what my role is, how I can contribute and where I’d like to see us go as a district (surprise, it’s not different from a year ago). And I bet that many of you might not understand what the School Board’s role is, when our meetings are or how you can contribute.

After the last School Boarding meeting, I realized that I had to start sharing my story. You deserve to know what is happening, you deserve to have a voice to interact with me (or any other member of the board). It can be in the comments here, or on my new facebook page: facebook.com/AndersonGilbertSchoolBoard

So, this is the start of an ongoing publication that will contain information about upcoming board meetings, notable items we will be discussing and highlighting the fantastic efforts of our hard working superintendent, principals, and teachers.

Let’s start this of with the full text of the strongly worded letter* that Destiny Lampiainen read to the school board:

I’m here tonight like many other nights as a patron of the district that has concerns and likes to stay informed on the issues as well as celebrations of the great things that are happening in the district. With that said I feel as if the board has lost their vision for this district as well as the Gilbert Way of doing things. This administrative team as well as Mr. Beecher have put every student every day as a top priority for this district. If you can’t see that we have happy students, parents and teachers as well as a team that gives 100% every day, then I’m not sure you should be sitting where you are right now. You as a board set district goals that are in plain sight every day in all buildings and are shared at every meeting as well as being on the district website as 2015–2016 3–5 year goals. In looking at the list, I would say that we are doing a darn good job with reaching those goals. Before criticizing others on the job they have done I urge you to take a step back and see if the criteria we are basing this on is measurable. If not, then it is just everyone’s own personal opinion. In which case I can tell you no way to run an organization.

Do you honestly believe the grass is greener on the other side? Do you honestly feel that this team isn’t doing their job? Word is out in the district that things are not on the up and up and before our reputation becomes tarnished I urge you to remember why is it you wanted to be on the school board? To be in power and try to control what is happening in the district the way YOU want it to? To help make Gilbert even greater academically? To uphold the Gilbert way? The Gilbert way is the reason that reason this is the district is as desirable as it is.

We need to get back to basics in this district and stop wanting bigger and better all the time. If our students don’t excel in the classroom the rest doesn’t matter.

This was difficult to hear, and not because I disagree.

It was difficult because it’s meant that I’ve let you, the patrons in our district, down — by not telling my story. You deserve to know what is going on. And it is my responsibility to share with you. Let this be my commitment to you, to communicate the wonderful and important things happening in this district.

*Every article presented, referenced or read during an open meeting is public and can be shared with you.