District 208 school board member resigns post

Tom Jacobs, a member of the Riverside-Brookfield High School Board of Education, announced at the board meeting on July 13 that he will be stepping down from his post because he has left the district.

Jacobs, who said he had not been a resident of the district since July 1, wrote a goodbye statement to school authorities for almost nine minutes on Tuesday evening.

“It was a real privilege to work with all of you on the Education Committee,” said Jacobs. “It’s an incredible learning experience that I will cherish forever.”

Jacobs was elected to the school board as a student representative in 2019. Jacobs was instrumental in ensuring that the school board included student representatives on the school board and played the major role in revising the school’s mission statement.

In an interview after he finished his speech at the board meeting, Jacobs said these two accomplishments were his greatest accomplishments during his time on the school committee.

“I think the fact that there is now an additional voice to represent the students is the greatest achievement in my opinion and the mission statement is something I was very much involved in,” said Jacobs.

Jacobs, a serious and thoughtful presence on the school board, was highly respected by his fellow board members for his intelligence and prudent manner.

“I think he brought a lot to the board,” said board member Bill Durkin, who was also elected in 2019.

Jacobs is passionate about the environment and urges students to get involved in public affairs. He was a quiet presence last year, calling for unity when some board members beat teachers during the pandemic for resisting a return to face-to-face learning when COVID-19 cases rose last fall.

Jacobs said it was not easy to switch from activist to board member.

“It’s clearly a big transition, probably bigger than anything you can imagine if you decide to run,” said Jacobs.

In his statement to the school council, Jacobs said empathy and courage are two of the most important qualities of a board member. He said it was important to consider all perspectives.

“Too often we jump to conclusions and push our opinions and get our way, and that’s part of the game; that comes with the job, ”said Jacobs.

The board has 60 days to elect a replacement for the remaining two years of Jacobs’ term. A public announcement regarding the application for the position can be found on the District 208 website at rbhs208.net.

Applications must be sent to the President of the School Board, Deanna Zalas, and must be received by 3:00 p.m. on July 26th. Zalas said the board will interview applicants and then try to select a replacement at its board meeting on Aug. 10. Whoever is elected needs four votes to move forward.

Jacobs encouraged people to apply to fill his seat on the board. He said he hoped the board would look for a balance on the board. Since the school board already has two teachers and one other member in the higher education sector, Jacobs believes that the new member should not be a professional educator.

“Ask yourself what other aspects that would truly and fully represent the diverse community we represent we could see on the board,” said Jacobs.

One person who could apply for a vacancy is former school board president Wes Smithing, who lost his re-election in April, finishing last in a field of four candidates.

Smithing told the Landmark in a telephone interview on Wednesday that he was seriously considering applying to fill the position.

“I was the next biggest vote winner, right,” said Smithing. “I mean, this is democracy. Why do you choose someone else? I have more votes than anyone else you will vote for. “

Forging would be a controversial choice. He has been a strong advocate for students attending classes in person for the last year. The Riverside Brookfield Educational Association, the RBHS teachers union, firmly opposed his re-election and funded the 2021 campaigns of Lorena Gasca and Ryan VenHorst, who finished first and second in April.

source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/district-208-school-board-member-resigns-post/