ONTARIO, Ohio — UPDATED – Board member Marianne Gasiecki is resigning from the Ontario Board of Education, effective June 30.
The board approved her resignation at their regular meeting Tuesday evening.
“In this day and age it’s admirable to have been a board member and you’ve served this district very well,” said Superintendent Lisa Carmichael to Gasiecki.
Gasiecki wrote in her resignation letter that she is moving to South Dakota with her family at the end of the month, making the June 9 board meeting her last.
“It’s been great, but not long enough,” she said of her approximately year-and-a-half experience as a board member. Her term began in January of last year.
“I guess the biggest reward to me is when I’m out and about and I have people thanking me for what I do or what I say. That’s why I do what I do–to represent the people,” she said.
Though she wishes she could continue serving on the board, she said she hopes to make a positive impact out west.
Also recognized at the meeting Tuesday was fifth grade student, Alejandro Carrizal, for his recent induction into the Ohio Auto Club’s AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame.
Tod Petit, guidance counselor at Stingel Elementary School and Stingel’s AAA School Safety Patrol advisor, explained how the safety program at Stingel works. He said there are about 10 students in the program at a time who help ensure that the approximately 900 elementary students are safely dismissed at the end of each school day.
Because of his stellar performance as AAA School Safety Patrol member, Carrizal was nominated as one of the hall of fame inductees.
In Petit’s letter of recommendation for Carrizal, he wrote, “Whatever his task was, Alejandro was proud to serve, even during the frigid temperatures we had been experiencing…I could always depend on Alejandro. When reminding students to walk, he was fair but firm and would not hesitate to report to me students who had difficulty understanding the word, ‘walk.'”
Petit also noted that Carrizal maintained above average grades while serving on the safety patrol program.
Carrizal was one of only nine students inducted into the AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame from a group of nearly 6,000 AAA School Safety Patrol members, based on his essay responses and Petit’s recommendation.
The next board meeting will be held Tuesday, July 14 at 7 p.m. in the Ontario High School library.Â
The board is currently seeking applicants for the vacancy Gasiecki will leave. The term will run July through December of this year. Interested applicants may submit a letter of interest and resume to Board President Sam VanCura at the Ontario Board Offices at 457 Shelby-Ontario Road, Ontario, OH, 44906 no later than Monday, June 22.
“I guess the biggest reward to me is when I’m out and about and I have people thanking me for what I do or what I say. That’s why I do what I do–to represent the people,” Marianne Gasiecki said.
