Nehring, Reschke step down

MONTE VISTA — The Monte Vista School board saw a lot of changes Thursday, Nov. 14. Gary Wilkinson and new board member Carly Santi Lozoya took the school board’s oath of office. During the meeting the board also elected new officers. Gary Wilkinson was elected to serve as the board’s new president. Kurtis Holland was elected as vice president, Orlando Deherra was elected to continue to serve as secretary, and Carly Santi Lozoya was elected treasurer.

After electing their new officers and making appointments, the board took the opportunity to recognize their outgoing board members. Matt Nehring and David Reschke have stepped down from the school board after many years of service. They presented Nehring with a plaque and gave both gentlemen Monte Vista school jackets as a farewell gift.

Nehring who has served on the Monte Vista School board for nine years said a few parting words as he got ready to step down as president of the board, “I would like to say that I’m truly privileged to have served with a great board. The board that is present, as well as, past board members. I can honestly say that every board member that I’ve served with has always served with the interest of students in mind. We have had lots of difficult and sometimes challenging decisions to make but it always came out where we were landing on the side of students. I’ve been blessed to have that opportunity.”

Nehring went on to joke, “One of the questions that I get more than any other serving on school board is, “Do I enjoy serving on school board? What I will say is no I do not enjoy serving on school board. There are things I enjoy like fishing, skiing, hiking, camping, but school board doesn’t fit in that same thread. It is different work, but it is something that I find great satisfaction in. It is a work that needs to be done. It is hard work but even more than that, I feel I’ve been given the opportunity to give back to the community with perhaps some skills and abilities which then fulfills me as a person.

It enriches my life to know that I have had the honor of serving in this role. The last thing I would like to say is thank you to the entire district, and all the district employees. You all have created a school district in individual schools that are committed to the well-being and education of the whole child. That has been our overriding philosophy for the past nine years I’ve been on the school board. Education is more than a set of high test scores for a student as well as for a district as a whole. It means arts and music which we have been very focused on maintaining in this district. It means math and science and public speaking, it means community, it means competition athletics, it means sportsmanship. We have focused on all of that and that’s not easily captured by a set of test scores and it is very important. I’ve been so proud to be a part of a district where that is the over-arching philosophy and that you all have committed to that work. With that I just want to say thank you for the past nine years to the entire district. You all have been a pleasure to work with and I really appreciate your time.”

Reschke echoed what Nehring had to say adding, “It has truly been a privilege to serve here. Originally my goal was to serve at the school where I’ve had five of my six kids graduate. I thought I owe it to this district. It has been nothing but a pure pleasure to do it, so I thank you. It’s all about the people.” Reschke has served on the Monte Vista School board for eight years.

“Matt Nehring is a tough act to follow, but I will try to do the best that I can,” said Wilkinson as he accepted his new position as president of the school board.

Monte Vista School board is in search for candidates to fill their school board vacancy. Interested persons are asked to send a letter to the school board with a statement of interest and qualifications. All letters should be sent by Thursday, Nov. 21, before 4 p.m. To be eligible for appointment, a candidate must be a registered elector of the school district for at least 12 consecutive months before the date of appointment. The board will interview prospective candidates at a public meeting Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.