Trending
Marietta City School District has a very important new board member election coming up for vote. This election will pave the way on what we can expect from our new school board and the impact that their decisions will make for the future of Marietta City Schools and our community.
During this campaign season we've heard the statement "commitment to excellence" by some candidates when expressing how our district can return to providing a high quality education for Marietta's youth. Marietta City Schools is starved for board leadership when it comes to addressing ongoing problems of declining enrollment, failing test scores, crumbling facilities, questionable fiscal decisions and most importantly, developing a sound plan for the long term needs of the district. Can a "commitment to excellence" help to overcome these obstacles? I believe that answer to be yes, if the newly elected board members are willing to make difficult decisions and help lead the way.
Businessman and local education advocate, John Lehman, is well suited to help address the aforementioned issues. John's seven year leadership role as a trustee for Washington State Community College along with his twenty plus years in serving the board of the McDonough Leadership Center at Marietta College, make him uniquely qualified to serve as a member of the Marietta City Schools Board of Education. If you consider John's corporate successes, it's easy to see that he is successful in leading his teams to greater accomplishment. More importantly though is his vision and mission to make Marietta a better place. Simply put, he strives for a "commitment to excellence" in whatever venture he pursues.
Marietta attorney, Ethan Vessels, also demonstrates the skill set needed to help lead our district to higher standing when it comes to academic achievement. The ability to recognize the qualities of strong leadership was instilled in him during his time at West Point and during his five years as an Army officer. As a practicing attorney, Ethan has the educational background to review legal processes when making sound board policy.
His military experience provided him opportunities to "rally the troops" to reach higher common goals and to develop and implement well articulated long range plans. Like John Lehman, Ethan is dedicated to making Marietta a better place through his own "commitment to excellence."
It now becomes our job, taxpaying voters, to make the right choice in selecting BOE candidates that are best suited to lead our district. It is my belief that John Lehman and Ethan Vessels are two of these candidates. I ask you to join me in supporting John and Ethan for election to the Marietta City Schools Board of Education.
Mark Weihl
Marietta