The Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) has designated Oct. 4-10 “School Board Recognition Week” as a time to build awareness and understanding of the vital function an elected board of education plays in our communities. Prescott School District joins all public school districts across the state to celebrate and honor local board members for their commitment to our district and its children.

“It takes strong schools to build a strong community, and these members devote countless hours to making sure our schools are helping every child learn at a high level,” stated Dr Rick Spicuzza, district administrator. “They make tough decisions every month and spend many hours studying education issues in order to provide the kind of accountability our citizens expect.” Five local residents comprise Prescott School Board: Mike Matzek, president; Steve Sizemore, vice president; Tanya Holub, treasurer; Pat Block, clerk, Vicki Rudolph, member, and Maddie Tibayn, student representative.

Spicuzza said the key work of the school board is to raise student achievement by:

• Creating a vision for what the community wants the school district to be; prioritizing the improvement of student outcomes

• Creating a safe environment where students can learn and teachers can teach

• Ensuring progress is measured to be sure district goals are achieved and students are acchieving at expected levels

• Being accountable for their decisions and actions by continually tracking and reporting results

• Forming partnerships with others in the community to solve common problems

• Focusing on the need for continuous improvement by questioning, refining and revising issues related to student achievement “If you encounter one of our school board members out in the community this week, please take the opportunity to thank them for their service to our students and schools,” commented Spicuzza.