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RANDOLPH – A combined 24 years of service will be exiting the Randolph Public Schools Board of Education next month.
Jim Scott and Lisa Linville will bid a fond farewell to their service on the board and two new members - Chris Winkelbauer and Anson Dockhorn - will be welcomed in at the board’s regular meeting Jan. 13.
Linville leaves with eight years of service and Scott with 16 years.
“I started when I was 2,” Scott joked. In 2008, when he ran for the board seat, he had two children in Randolph Public Schools and a toddler.
“There was some talk about consolidation going on and I didn’t want that to happen,” Scott said.
He quickly learned that being a school board member was more than just meeting once a month for board meetings. Scott also served on the negotiations, and buildings and grounds committees which had separate meetings. Any special issues - such as the recent effort to get a bond passed - also required additional time.
Linville, a former high school science teacher, found herself learning the business aspects of running the school with budgets and accounting the largest learning curve when she started on the board in 2016.
She was pleasantly surprised by the strong relationships she formed along the way.
“These people (fellow board members) get to be your friends. You spend time with them in a different light,” she said.
Sixteen years since being sworn in, Scott looks back on his service fondly. He worked with four different superintendents and many other board members, and was able to affect significant changes.
Some of the major milestones include working through sports co-ops with different school districts; making the Cardinal Kids Learning Center a reality; and the recent work on a bond issue.
Linville is also proud of the board’s work to develop the Learning Center and also recalls the accomplishment of Randolph Elementary being named a Blue Ribbon School in 2014.
But success shouldn’t necessary be measured in the large, public accomplishments, she said. Sometimes its the day to day accomplishments like low teacher and superintendent turnover that mean the most.
Linville is looking forward to spending more time with her family especially her infant granddaughter.
“I will miss it. I’ve been involved with schools for almost 40 years whether a teacher, a sub, a board member,” she said.
Scott said he’ll also miss serving on the school board as well.
“Stepping out now is the right thing to do,” Scott said, adding he will be giving more time and attention to his duties as Randolph’s fire chief.
Scott and Linville encourage Winkelbauer and Dockhorn to bring their honesty and integrity to the role, be open-minded and really listen.
“There’s been lots of times where I’ve spoken up on things and was able to change people’s minds,” he said. “Your voice and your vote always matter.”
