Gov. Inslee proclaims January as School Board Recognition Month

Shoreline School Board. From left: Dick Nicholson, Dick Potter,
David Wilson, Debi Ehrlichman, Michael Jacobs

Governor Jay Inslee has proclaimed January as School Board Recognition Month. This marks the 22nd year of the annual observance initiated by the National School Boards Association in 1995.

The Washington State School Directors’ Association, Association of Educational Service Districts and broader education community take time in January to honor board members from Washington’s 295 school districts and nine elected educational service district boards.

“Washington’s 1,477 local school directors set the direction for policy and governance of our state’s 295 school districts,” said WSSDA Executive Director Tim Garchow. “They exemplify the difference between involvement and commitment. My hat is off to them for their dedication to the children of Washington.”

All told, Washington’s school directors govern districts with more than one million students, a combined annual budget of about $11 billion, and employ 160,000 people.

These volunteer school board members play a crucial role in developing policies and making tough decisions on complex educational and social issues. These issues affect the entire state. They are also directly accountable to the citizens in their districts, serving as a vital link between members of the community and their schools.

During January, school districts across the state will honor their local school boards and publicly thank board members for their hard work.

The proclamation has been posted online.