Margaret Jackson resigns from MUSD governing board

In a surprise announcement following a brief executive session of the Maricopa Unified School District’s governing board Wednesday night, President Jim Chaston announced the resignation of board member Margaret Jackson for “personal and family” reasons.

Chaston thanked Jackson for both her “time and interest” as a member of the governing board. She took office just one year ago. Jackson later told friends and supporters, “This was not something I wanted to do, but something I had to do.”

An emotional Margaret Jackson at her final governing board meeting.

Her letter of resignation, dated January 16, follows:

Dear Dr. Jack Harmon, Fellow Board Members, Superintendent Alma Farrell, Educators, and Community Friends,

It is with mixed emotions joined with much thought and prayer that I submit my resignation from the office of School Board Member of Maricopa Unified School District as of Friday, January 27, 2006.

In recent months unforeseen circumstances have required and will continue to require more of my time and concentrated efforts.

I would be remiss if I did not take this time to thank the dedicated teachers, staff, administration, Board Members and active community members of this district for their time and hard work. There are great things happening at MUSD because of it!

I have enjoyed very much the opportunity to serve in this capacity with all of you and pray for your continued success as you bring MUSD to a higher level of academic excellence.

Sincerely,
Margaret Noble Jackson

As a follow up to my resignation, I would like to address three issues by which individual community members / parents, etc., could greatly impact MUSD for the better:

Public Involvement:
· Parents/Citizens need to go to school meetings! Your individual participation is crucial in developing an educational system that truly reflects public desire.
· Be active in your child’s education! Help them understand their role as a student. Read with them. Work with them at home. Help them follow through on homework. Teach them personal responsibility. Be an excellent example of positive conduct.
· Volunteer! There are so many ways that one can help. Don’t wait.

Keep the good of ALL the children as important as the good of an individual child.
I believe that everyone at MUSD is trying to do his or her very best. I also believe that adults and children have differences of opinion as well as viewing things from opposite ends of the spectrum. I believe that when individual issues arise, we need to deal with them in a way that will uplift the lives of all children (both young and old). I am in hopes that we will all do a self-evaluation and adjust our initial emotion so that our behaviors strengthen children and their educational surroundings.

Publicly serve for the children.
For those of you who are considering running for office in this election year, please read “So You Want To Be A School Board Member”, available from the Arizona School Board Association, (602) 254-1100.

I am grateful to you, the individual public who voted me in. I want to apologize to those of you I might have disappointed in resigning prior to term completion. Please forgive me if I did let you down in any way. I want you to know that, as long as I am a resident of Maricopa, I will want the best for children and our wonderful, growing community. I have learned to love Maricopa and its people very much.

Signed, Margaret Noble Jackson

Pinal County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jack Harmon will appoint Jackson’s replacement on the governing board. That individual will have two years of a three-year term to complete.

For those who would like to be considered for the position, a letter of interest needs to be filed with Harmon by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 10. For further information, contact Harmon at (520) 866-6565 or by email. According to Chaston, the board plans to fill the vacancy by the February 22 meeting.