Thursday, May 08, 2008

Beshear taps veteran Board member for Repeat Performance

I thought it might be a good idea to interview one of the new board members named by Governor Steve Beshear today. So I thought to myself… "Now which one of them has an office right upstairs?”

Dorothy “Dorie” Z Combs (or “Dorie-Z” as she will hereafter become affectionately known) returns to the Kentucky Board of Education as its most experienced member having previously served fours years from 2002 to 2006.

She will join a whole new group.

Seen here in 2002 (L-R) Gene Wilhoit, Hilma Prather,

Helen Mountjoy, Dorie-Z and David Tachau

She rejoins to the board at what she calls “not the best time” citing the tight budget, high demands and the “difficult choices” that confluence will bring.

Still she said, “I am thrilled. I am excited. I am absolutely humbled by this opportunity.”

“When I was first asked to return to the board I was surprised. But, when the governor called and Helen Mountjoy called, I simply could not say ‘No.’ I share their vision.”

As Dorie-Z (kinda catchy, isn’t it?) recalls, “Being on the Board of Education is one of the best things I’ve ever been involved in.”

“The first time, I had no idea how the board worked. …or the politics. I found out that there was not as much politics as I expected. I also learned that I could trust the KDE staff. They always had things organized and well-prepared so there was information available to make decisions."

You know, you get on some boards and you meet every once in a while and have a meal, but you don’t do much. But this is a working board.

What I like about it is you have everybody sitting around the table, people from local communities all around Kentucky, talking about kids and schools. It’s important and demanding work. With the challenges facing this board we need creativity and enthusiasm, and I hope I can bring some of that.

Combs (I mean Dorie-Z) hopes her prior experience on the board will allow her to help in decision-making. She might also help the K-12 system better interface with the college system.

Combs brings experience as a teacher, a parent, and a teacher-educator, working with beginning college students. “ I think of it as sitting at the intersection of P-16.” She hopes that understanding will be helpful as the Kentucky tackles problem related to the remediation of incoming freshmen on our college campuses.

Dorie-Z replaces Janna Vice, whose office is not upstairs. It’s right over there, however. Dr Vice told KSN&C,

“Serving on the Kentucky Board of Education has been a great privilege and a tremendous experience. Dorie Combs will do a great job. Her previous experience on KBE will be important. I am also pleased that EKU and higher education will continue to be represented on the Board. I have great respect for Commissioner Draud, Chairman Brothers, the continuing Board members, and the KDE staff; and I am confident they will work with the new members to ensure a smooth transition and keep Kentucky students their first priority.”

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