Alexandria’s fourth elected School Board was sworn in last Thursday. They took office on July 1.
The hottest day of the year forced the reception indoors but the weather did not affect the optimistic tone of the speeches from the newly sworn-in Board.
“I am looking forward to working with the new Board and with the New City Council,” said Molly Danforth, who has been a Board member since 1994. “I hope that we can all work together to benefit all of the city’s children.”
Danforth is one of five returning Board members, although Gwendolyn Lewis was elected to serve her first full term in May. There are four Board members who are new. One of them is Kenneth Foran.
“I thanked all of my supporters and all of those who support community schools,” Foran said. “Community schools make an entire community better. We must take our children as we find them and recognize that some need more help than others and that that sometimes means more resources. I am looking forward to working with the new Board and with members of this community,” he said.
Other new members include Charles Wilson, Melissa Luby and Arthur Schmalz. Returning to the Board are Mark Eaton, Mark Wilkoff and Sally Ann Baynard along with Lewis and Danforth.
The new Board will hold its first official meeting on July 2, to elect officers, including a new chairman.