Sara Hacken
What it takes to be an effective school board member
Service
The Alpine School Board has several standing committees and professional groups on which board members serve. All board members are expected to participate on three of these essential committees, often more where time permits. That is part of the basic time commitment required for serving on the board, but there are also other opportunities in the community, the state and beyond to serve Alpine students and families. Since I was elected to the Alpine School Board I have worked on the Budget Committee, the Policy Committee, the Public Relations Committee, the Capital Improvement Committee, the Teaching and Learning Committee and the Alpine Foundation Board. I have regularly attended these committee meetings and also School and District Community council meetings, PTA meetings, City Council collaboration meetings with many of the 14 Alpine municipalities, K-12 coordination meetings, New Teacher orientations, PTA kickoff , Principals Academy and in addition, I have met with a host of other groups.
Problem-Solving
Much of the work of a school board is to solve problems, including issues such as bus routes, teacher salaries, school boundaries or federal directives.My experience has been that there is often more than one problem involved, and certainly more than one solution. School board members need to be informed, flexible, and true to the mission, vision, and goals of the school district.
Insight
Many issues that come before the school board require a deep understanding of the school system and how to best serve students. My years of teaching, administrative, and school board experience provide a rich background with insights that can help filter the present situations through the lenses of tradition, legal guidelines, and community needs while still respecting student and family rights and responsibilities.
Collaboration
It is difficult to please everyone all of the time. When disagreements exist about how to approach an issue, it is imperative that all parties listen carefully to each other with an honest desire to find common ground. While compromise does not give any one group all they want, it can give all groups something positive to build upon.