Dear Oak Harbor citizens:
We hear you!
Our meeting on August 10 targeted specifically for those people who have shared concerns about the school district, was both enlightening and encouraging. It was enlightening because it brought out your important issues and ideas on how to move forward as a community. It was encouraging because we had an opportunity to listen.
Community input is encouraged and welcomed in this district. Your opinions do matter. And it was a good lesson in humility to hear about your understanding of what works and what needs fixing in the Oak Harbor School District. Already we are looking into textbook issues and levy funding concerns brought up at this important meeting.
It was clear that some citizens have been turned off by a perception of arrogance on the part of the school board. For that, we are truly sorry. We believe we have a very important job and staying connected with the community is critical to ensuring our students get the education they deserve.
Most importantly, we apologize for doing a less than stellar job of keeping Oak Harbor citizens adequately informed of important issues. It is always our intention to provide you with the level of information you need and to give you the opportunity to provide valuable input concerning critical propositions and decisions. We will make mistakes, but with your feedback and support we can minimize those mistakes and take corrective action when needed.
The trust and respect of the community means everything to us. Like you, we all share a pride in our schools and we all want the best for our students.
In the end, it all boils down to five people who represent all the citizens of Oak Harbor School District and who vote their conscience to ensure the best opportunities for our children. Like you our constituents, we won’t always agree on how to do that, but we can pledge to keep you informed and consider your ideas as this district moves forward.
Kathy Chalfant, Vicki Harring, Kathy Jones, Dave McCool,
Gary Wallin
Oak Harbor School Board
