The June 18 meeting of the POB school board was Superintendent Gerry Dempsey’s last meeting. While it’s sad to say goodbye to all those who are leaving the district (and there were quite a few retirees), I will especially miss Mr. Dempsey’s dry sense of humor at the board meetings. A few years ago, when the state was doing what it typically does and taking forever to get something done, Dempsey said that while he didn’t like being cranky on general principle, he was going to allow himself to “entertain some crankiness” regarding the situation.
While we may have many opportunities to “entertain some crankiness” with the state education department in the coming years, I hope we can all do it with a fraction of the class Gerry Dempsey always conducted himself with. Both the former superintendent and Deputy Superintendent Art Jonas will be sorely missed.
In more festive news, this Sunday, June 24, is the 3rd Annual Summer Reading Carnival at the POB library, which officially kicks off the summer reading season. You can help celebrate local educators past and present by keeping the kids reading this summer, and motivating them with some rides and games is a good way to start.
-K.G.
