My term ends in March, and I had already decided not to run again. But
a subsequent decision to move to Fayston in November to pursue new
opportunities at the Green Mountain Valley School has changed my plans.
Vermont law requires publicly elected officials to reside in the town
they represent, so I have to leave the board sooner than I expected
and, in fact, sooner than I wanted.
Waitsfield Elementary is a fantastic school by any standards. We are
very lucky to be able to offer our kids the kind of education and
nurturing they receive as a result of the positive
school/home/community connection that exists here. There will continue
to be challenges ahead, particularly around school funding. But
Waitsfield is well-positioned to deal effectively with this and other
issues. We have two great new administrators in our superintendent and
principal, we have a phenomenal faculty and staff, we have an informed
and dedicated board and, though we may not always agree, we have a
community of caring adults who truly have our kids' best interest at
heart.
I will officially step down at the next meeting, November 9. In
accordance with state statute and advice from the Vermont School Boards
Association, Superintendent Scheffert, Principal Korb, and the rest of
the board have already outlined a process to fill my vacant seat on the
board. They will solicit and review letters of interest, invite and
conduct interviews, and the four-member board will appoint a
replacement to serve until the election in March. If you are
interested, or for more detailed information, please contact Principal
Korb at school.
While I look forward to what lies ahead, it is a bittersweet farewell I
offer to our school community. Thank you for letting me serve.
Missy Siner Shea
