February may be a month of love, but for the Lunenburg School Board it is a month of recognition and appreciation, albeit somewhat belatedly.

During its Feb. 8 meeting, the board heard and received three certificates for the month.

The members were presented with a certificate from Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the Virginia School Boards Association in recognition of School Board Appreciation Month.

“As citizen leaders, school board members face complex and demanding challenges,” the resolution says.

“Yet few people fully understand the scope and far reaching implications of board members’ responsibilities. Virginians should recognize the vital contributions of these men and women and focus attention on the critical role these elected public officials pay in the education of our children. Their job is to establish a vision for the education program, design a structure to achieve that vision, ensure schools are accountable to the community and strongly advocate continuous improvement in student learning.“

Meanwhile, the Virginia School Boards Association’s Board of Directors designated the third week of the month as School Board Clerk Appreciation Week “recognizing (their) many and varied contributions.”

The recognition acknowledges how clerks “are responsible for keeping accurate records of the meetings and proceedings of the school board, a record of all receipts and disbursements, and a record of all official acts.”

To these ends, the clerks also have to “maintain frequent contact with the public, including parents, employees and the media” and “in the performance of their duties, are often required to work extra hours attending school board meetings.”

Finally, the board heard how McAuliffe had proclaimed Jan. 24-30, Virginia School Principals Week. The resolution credits them with working “cooperatively to direct, develop and inspire all members of the school staff and study body and to communicate effectively with parents to engage them in the learning process.”

While also serving as educational leaders “responsible for managing the policies, regulations, and procedures necessary to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for all students.”

We can honestly say that we do see the dedication of the school’s faculty and staff.