A dozen years after she first took her seat on the Jessamine County Board of Education, JoAnn Rohrback said farewell Monday night at her final meeting.
Rohrback did not run for re-election and is moving out of the county before her term expires at the end of the year. She represented the third district from 2000 to 2004 and then again from 2006 to 2012.
Superintendent Lu Young read a proclamation of appreciation for Rohrback from the Jessamine CountyFiscal Court before saying a few personal words, crediting Rohrback with “innovative ideas, strategic thinking and tireless efforts” in her tenure on the board.
“Whether by working into the night to prepare for a board meeting, attending an evening school event, working to find consensus on a divisive topic or responding to every citizen’s concerns, you have given much of yourself to this school district,” superintendent Lu Young told Rohrback at Monday night’s board meeting. “It is through the dedication and hard work of individuals like you that we are able to continue to meet the needs of every child every day and prepare our youth for a bright and successful future.”
Rohrback expressed thanks to district officials as well as fellow board members, including Hallie Bandy and Fran Settle, each of whom took office in 2011 after facing no opposition in the election.
“Not a lot of people want to do this, and that’s unfortunate, because it’s very rewarding,” Rohrback said. “It’s a wonderful thing to be able to serve the children in your county with their educational needs.”
Rohrback had announced earlier in the year that she did not intend to run for re-election. Only one candidate, Debbie Hood, filed for the third-district seat on the board of eduction. Hood was in the audience Monday night and will likely be sworn in early to take her seat in October; Rohrback’s term officially expires Sept. 30.
With four grandchildren in Jessamine County each under the age of 4, Rohrback said she would continue to keep up with the school system that she helped lead through a time of major growth.
“I look forward to them going into the schools, and when they go into that school, I¿hope they see their grandmother’s name on the plaque and they say, ‘My grandmother made decisions about this school,’” she said.
