(Marion) — A big congratulations is in order for the Marion ISD Board of Trustees, which has been selected as one of the top school boards in Texas.
The Marion school board has been named the 2024 Regional School Board of the Year for Education Service Center 20.
Marion ISD Superintendent Don Beck is thrilled by the recognition. Dr. Beck says this is a well-deserved recognition for this particular group of trustees.
“I can tell you, I was elated. It was a happy moment and yet a little bit surprised as we are a smaller district but the committee definitely saw through that and saw what the board had done over the last couple of years and justified that by naming us the board of the year,” said Beck.
Beck says the work of these trustees is not going unnoticed, especially when their small district is compared to much larger districts belonging to Region 20.
“You are looking at schools from districts from the size of North East and Northside (ISD) all the way to small, 1A districts that are around here and we are sitting at 1,600 kids and we are on the smaller end of Region 20. I forget the exact number of school districts in this region but I do know there’s probably more than 50 school districts that could have applied and submitted information for that and we are just excited to be number one in the region,” said Beck.
Beck says he describes this current board as unique and values the individual strengths that each trustee brings to the table.
“When you look at their professions that they are in as well as just their willingness to read the board material ahead of time and make informed decisions before they make them. They really are intuned with each other. You can’t say they always agree but that’s not always the case but they get along well enough and they listen to each other and ultimately what makes them the best is that in the end, they make decisions based on what is best for students and I truly feel that they do that,” said Beck.
Marion Board President Ryan Zwicke agrees that the board’s unique makeup has been instrumental in the success of operating the school district.
“I don’t know what it is exactly but we have a pretty good Team of 8 — seven board members plus the superintendent, Dr. Beck. I think each one of us brings something to the table — our backgrounds, our experiences, our expertise — I think each one of us brings a little bit to the table and that perfect mix just happens,” said Zwicke.
In its announcement to the school district, Dr. Jeff Goldhorn, the executive director of Region 20, also gave appropriate applause to Beck’s own leadership in the Marion ISD.
He states, “The leadership provided by your superintendent has been instrumental in your collective efforts to improve academic achievement and offer new opportunities to the district.
The climate surveys over the past two years provided valuable insights into campus culture. The needs assessment and scorecard from the strategic planning process played a crucial role in focusing on continuous improvement. Your superintendent’s guidance has been a key factor in your success.”
Zwicke says Beck’s contributions as superintendent have been positive and a game changer for the district.
“It’s been tremendous. I can’t compliment him enough. I am really satisfied with the direction that he is putting Marion ISD in right now,” said Zwicke.
Other members of the Marion ISD Board of Trustees include Vice President Dr. Karl Harborth, Secretary Jill LeSage, and trustees Dr. Kevin “Bubba” Kunde, Jamie Mote, Caleb Rackley, and JC Batey.
The Marion ISD Board of Trustees is now one of 20 Regional School Board of the Year winners and will now go on to compete for the state title.