To the Editor:
As one of the outgoing members of the Elizabethton City School Board I would like to say what an honor it has been to serve on the board these past four years. During that time I have been privileged to have been involved in so many wonderful and exciting projects and with wonderful teachers, administrators and students.
Our superintendent, Dr. Cory Gardenhour, is one of the most decent, honorable and thoughtful people I have ever known. No one can understand how difficult a position that is, and all the difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions one must make at that level.
I am also proud that we established the student liaison position with Elizabethton High students and I was glad to have served with three of them. I am sure there will be many more excellent students in that position in the future.
My focus has been the same since before I was elected four years ago and that is to be an advocate for education, teachers and students. Though I have left the board, that will not stop. I will continue to volunteer and advocate for the things that are closest to my heart and have appreciated all the encouragement I have received since the election.
Education and the pursuit of knowledge have always been and will always be the hope for the future and the key to developing well-rounded citizen adults. I have taught in many places in my career and the teachers in the Elizabethton system are second to none. They give so much each and every day to their students and produce amazing results. They truly care for the students, some of which receive little encouragement in their lives. Their day to day dedication is laudable. I am so honored and humbled to be with them in so many ways and I will continue to do so and help in any way I can.
I wish the new board members success and as for the sitting board members, I have never met a more dedicated, honorable, and caring group of people and am thanking for having been able to serve with them. They have always had the students’ best interest at heart in every decision made. For after all, the students are the reason we do what we do and I can only hope that will continue with the new board.

Susan J. Peters
Elizabethton