Mitchell Senior

January is School Board Recognition Month! I invite all community members to join me in recognizing the dedication and hard work of AESD Board Members, and to continue to support them as they prioritize meeting the needs of our children. AESD Board Members include (left to right in the photo): Mary Ellen Arana, President, Area 1 Trustee Scott Lee, Area 3 Trustee Larry Whitney, Area 4 Trustee Dr. Sandra Schiber, Superintendent Jessica Reed, Board Clerk, Area 5 Trustee Mark Hendrickson, Area 2 Trustee Board Members are our elected representatives and a vital link between the school district and the community. The Board sets the foundation and vision for the district, directs resources where they are most needed, and ensures accountability to the community by monitoring progress toward goals. Their end goal, of course, is to support and elevate student achievement. During this challenging year, the AESD Board of Trustees has worked to close the opportunity gap by providing computers and internet access to students when all instruction was brought online, by providing food services for our students even when they were not attending in person at school and directing resources to the social-emotional support of students so critical during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I hope you will join me in saluting our hard-working Board Members for their support of our students during these unprecedented times, and in commending the tireless work of our Board Members, teachers, and support staff. All the care and compassion for students and their families that they have shown this last year is evidence that improving outcomes for students has been, and will continue to be, the reason we all put in extraordinary time and effort into this work.