January is School Board Recognition Month. This is a time to recognize the individuals who approach their volunteer work like it is a full-time job and with extraordinary dedication to public schools. They are citizens whose decisions affect our children and build our community.
School boards are charged with making decisions that can sometimes be quite difficult or require sifting through a great deal of information. They contribute hundreds of hours each year leading Marquette Area Public Schools.
Through their dedication, collaboration with other school district staff, their governance and advocacy, they are building the future of education in Michigan.
This month, we encourage all members of the community to thank a board member. Take this opportunity to show our year-round appreciation for these servant leaders and begin to better understand how local trustees work together to prepare today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders.
The individuals serving MAPS and their years of service are:
Kristen Cambensy, President, serving since 2015
Jennifer Ray, Vice-President, serving since 2021
Jason Zdunek, Secretary/Treasurer, serving since 2023
Jennifer Klipp, Trustee, serving since 2021
Cherryl Maddox, Smith, Trustee, serving since 2023
Cassidy Thomas, Trustee, serving since 2025
Eric Smith, Trustee, serving since 2/2025
Marquette Area Public Schools would like to thank former Secretary/Treasurer James Hewitt for serving for ten years from 2015-2024.
Marquette Area Public Schools would also like to thank former Vice-President Glenn Sarka for serving from 2018-January 23, 2024, when he passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.
School board members represent the views and priorities of their community in the complex system of maintaining and running a district’s public schools. They also reinforce the principle of local control over public education, which is an important, highly valued aspect of education in Michigan. Too often, the efforts of school board members go unrecognized.
No matter what challenges lie ahead for our district in 2025, our school board members will continue to govern to improve student achievement and provide exceptional education for all our community’s children.
