The people of Hazard are fortunate to have chosen a group of their fellow citizens to take responsibility for the community’s most precious resource and a key to its future – children and their educational opportunities.

Grady Varney, Astor Sizemore, Dennis Smith, Lisa Townes, and Ralph Asher have agreed to serve this community because they care about those kids and their futures. And they serve at minimal compensation for maximum responsibilities, often under clouds of misunderstanding.

For example, people know that when the school board decides about tax rates, but most folks have missed out on all the detailed meetings and hundreds of pages of requests from teachers, librarians, and principals. Citizens read about a board deciding which building gets limited facility renovation dollars, but few understand the restrictions placed on how those dollars can be used. Taxpayers would like this person or that individual to get a job with the district, yet aren’t aware that while the board has approved the job description, its members are prohibited by Kentucky law from becoming involved in hiring any employee other than the superintendent.

Throughout January, Kentucky is engaged in the 18th annual observation of School Board Recognition Month. It’s our hope that the people of this community will take a few moments to learn more about the work of these friends and neighbors who bear tremendous responsibilities for the long-term success of the school system, and more importantly, for all those children.

Sincerely,

Tom Blankenship

President, Kentucky School Board Association

William Scott

Executive Director, KSBA