WAITSBURG - Posters from Waitsburg elementary and middle school students, expressing thanks to their lo­cal School Board, decorated the walls of the Preston Hall Board Room at Wednesday night's school board meet­ing.

Waitsburg Superinten­dent Carol Clarke explained that Governor Jay Inslee has proclaimed January 2014 as School Board Recognition Month - marking the 19th annual observance of the event initiated by the Na­tional

School Boards Asso­ciation in 1995. Washington State currently honors 1,477 elected school board mem­bers in 295 school districts.

Clarke shared this quote from Washington State School Directors' Associa­tion President Mari Taylor. "There is no more important elected office when it comes to our children's future. School board members put in long hours to guide public education in their communi­ties. This recognition is well deserved."

Preceding the meeting, First Grade Teacher Dinah Lindsey thanked the Board and read an introduction from a book her students had created titled Vision for Peace. Class representa­tives Alyssa Hollingsworth, Lucas VanHoose, Preston Hinchliffe, Race Hubbard, and Tanner Atwood took turns reading pages of the book in which each first grader shared what peace meant to them.

High School National Honor Society President Nick Pearson, joined by NHS representatives Han­nah Grant, Tyler Shafer, Emma Philbrook, Sofia Mercado, and Heidi Miller, along with Advisor Liv Leid, thanked the Board and pre­sented them with a card. They also brought cookies and drinks as a token of ap­preciation.

Clarke then presented each board member, thank­ing them for their years of service. Greg Zuger has been on the Board for 22 years; Randy Pearson, 16 years; Ross Hamann, 9 1/2 years; Marilyn Johnson, 4 years; and Christy House, 2 years.

Kindergarten Teacher Pam Beasley also shared a video of her class singing a song with the words, "Thank you for all you do."