To All My Constituents, Supporters, and Family
I have had the pleasure of serving on the Monroe City School Board for the last four years. During that time, I put in place several policies and voting for several items that helped our children.
My first year serving as Chairman of the Insurance committee; I researched and held a presentation from Prepared Mobile App. An App that allows teachers and administrators to effectively communicate during an emergency. Monroe City Schools superintendent mentioned this app at a state superintendent conference which led to the Governor holding a Press Conference on August 29, 2019, at Neville High school in Monroe to announce the state’s partnership with Rave Mobile Safety to be implemented in every school district in the State. (Pre-Covid). This was largely due to my efforts.
My second year, while serving as Chairman of the Policy Committee, I work alongside Board Member Betty Cooper to develop an effective DBE Policy. The then-current policy only stated that Contractors make a good faith effort in securing minority and disadvantaged businesses. Our Policy that was adopted and put in effect made it mandatory that anyone doing business with the school district must have no less than 10% minority participation to be awarded the contract.
My third year while serving as Insurance Committee Chairman, I noticed that many students were breaking their assigned Chromebook and many lower-income parents did not have the $200 to replace them, and students were missing valuable classroom instruction. I introduced in the policy committee and later enforced by the Superintendent an insurance plan that allowed parents to pay as little as $30 for insurance that would allow the Chromebook to be replaced at no cost if damaged.
During my Fourth and current year, I created a Parental Involvement Task Force that consisted of administrators, teachers, and parents who meet monthly to discuss ways and strategies to increase parental involvement. We realize that when parents are more involved with their child’s education, the children do better in school. Next month we will release the first-ever district wide parental survey that will provide feedback from parents on how the district can best serve their needs. We also are in the process of launching an app called PIMSPoint that will also increase parental Involvement.
Prior to my term on the board, the committees rarely met, and many items were voted on without the community having any type of input. I along with Board Members Betty Cooper and Brandon Johnson pushed and required for all items to go to committee before they were placed on the School Board Agenda thereby allowing for proper discussion, questioning, and clarification.
As you see above, I have tried to do things that benefit not just district 1 but the whole school district as well as the city. I have tried to answer every call and respond to every email along with following up on whatever issue that I received from not only my constituents but also staff personnel and parents that do not even live in my district. There are numerous other tasks and projects that I have addressed and supported, which are too many to discuss.
Everyone knows that I am transparent and know that I would not give up voluntarily. I failed to turn in some disclosure forms in a timely manner and received a fine from the Board of Ethics. When I qualified for re-election last week, I failed to look at the small print that stated that I could not qualify if I had an outstanding balance. As a result, and on the advice of my attorney, I had to withdraw because it seemed as if I lied and committed fraud. Everyone that knows me can attest to the fact that this is not my character nor desire.
I will continue to serve our children in this district and this city. I will continue to push for a mandatory African American studies course to be included in every school district in the state. Although I have been made to withdraw based on an ethics fine, and I take full responsibility for that; But I also take the responsibility of my service to our children seriously, and it will continue. I look forward to serving you again in the capacity of school board member in the next election. But until then, I will serve as a parent, supporter, friend, and as someone who loves our children.
Yours sincerely,
Rick Saulsberry
