Newly elected SJSD board members ready for tough job ahead

Newly elected SJSD board members ready for tough job ahead

Starting to set in now that the st.

Joseph school district will have three new members of the board of education in just two weeks.

After voters threw out three sitting members of the board in tuesday's elections will be on their replacements and the newly formed board for what lies ahead those coming on to the board say they're ready to take on this tough job.

Here's kq2's kilee thomas with the challenging road ahead.

Kilee thomas reportingsot: latonya williams, elected board member- "in all honesty, i'm still in shock."

Tuesday- st joseph voters electing change faces to sit on the board of education.

A position not envied by many coming in after a controversial election and long history of distrust of the board but members say they're up for the job sot: david foster, elected board member- "you don't get into something like this without knowing what you're up against."sot: williams- "our initial issue is lack of community, lack of transparency and a lack of trust."

Both foster and williams say the first hurdle they're gonna have to tackle is mending wounds honest line of communication between the board and public and go from there sot: foster-"i think bonding with the community is the obvious objective.

So, what we're gonna have to do is figure out a way to include the community in these decisions.""if we achieve that one objective, i think some of the other things get a lot easier."

After a resounding no on the school bond initiative...right-sizing the district down to two high schools.

Members agree they're in for a challenge finding a solution to the aging facilities and dropping student enrollment.sot: williams-"i wouldn't say pressure to make them happy.

The pressure i feel is to do what is best.

The board has to do what is best.

The people said 'no,' now you have to ask why."

Sot: foster-"i still have to factor in all the information and i have to vote according to that and do what's right because i want to be able to lay down and sleep at night and look myself in the mirror and tell myself i did the right thing."the members elected by the community on hopes of change- including the first black woman to sit on the board..but members say they can't shift the direction of the district on their own-it takes the community to move on and move forward together.

Sot: williams-"people can't keep punishing the board for the mistakes of the old board."

"people are always asking about change, but what people don't understand is that to get change, you have to be a part of the change."

Reporting in st joseph kilee thomas kq2 news we've made several attempts to speak with kenneth reeder but have been unsuccessful...the three board members will be sworn in on april 19th and will serve a three year term..

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