— image credit: Kirk Boxleitner
KIRK BOXLEITNER, Marysville Globe Reporter
MARYSVILLE — Wendy Fryberg began serving on the Marysville School District Board of Directors in 2010, after being appointed to the Director District 4 position in the wake of Michael Kundu’s resignation, and she retained that seat in 2011, after running unopposed, but when that term expired this year, she chose not to run for re-election.
As such, the Marysville School Board was joined by members of the Marysville School District, as well as the surrounding Marysville and Tulalip communities, in honoring Fryberg’s service to the school district during the Board’s regular session meeting on Monday, Nov. 18.
Marysville School Board President Chris Nation called a recess during the meeting to conduct a brief celebration in tribute to Fryberg, during which he and his fellow Board members were effusive in expressing their praise and appreciation to Fryberg, whose departure also leaves vacant the Board’s vice president position.
“Wendy brought instrumental leadership to this board,” said Nation, who also serves in the Director District 1 position. “I will always embrace that.”
“Wendy has been a heart behind the Board — a gentle, willing person with an iron heart to serve our children,” said Dr. Becky Berg, superintendent of the Marysville School District. “She will be missed.”
“I have always been impressed with how Wendy and the other Board members care about the children — all children,” said Pete Lundberg, who serves in the Director District 3 position. “Wendy is very thoughtful and a good decision-maker.”
Tom Albright, the Board’s Legislative Representative who serves in the Director District 5 position, credited Fryberg with helping the Marysville School District Board of Directors receive the title of Board of the Year from the Washington State School Directors Association in 2012.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to work and sit beside Wendy for three years,” Albright said. “I appreciate her smile and her hard work on behalf of all students.”
The meeting’s attendees from the public included Mel Sheldon Jr., chair of the Tulalip Tribes, as well as Sheryl Fryberg and Norma Razote — the general manager and deputy manager of the Tribes, respectively — and each one had plaudits and insights of their own to share about Wendy Fryberg’s service on the Marysville School Board.
“Thank you, Wendy, for stepping up to the plate, addressing the challenges and serving on the School Board for every child,” Sheldon said. “You have made us all proud, along with our community. Your work will serve our next generation. We raise our hands up to you.”
“I am so proud of Wendy and her sheer determination,” Sheryl Fryberg said. “She has grown tremendously through her work on the School Board. From the budget to academics, she took it all to heart. We are very proud of her, and happy to have her come back to our family gatherings. I also lift my hands to Wendy, and to all of the School Board members, for the important work that they do.”
“Wendy has been a great support for me this past year,” Razote said. “She has evolved so much, and as the executive director in adult services for the Tulalip Tribes, I have counted on her so much. I’ve heard so many great things about her work on the School Board.”
Following some coffee and cake, Wendy Fryberg thanked everyone for their comments.
“This has been a great three years,” Fryberg said. “I have learned a lot. I want to thank Don Hatch Jr. for strongly encouraging me to follow in his footsteps and serve on the School Board. This is a really profound team that we have. It’s been a strong team. I appreciate what I’ve learned about the educational system as a Board director, and I’m thankful that my children and everyone’s children are well taken care of in the Marysville School District. I really appreciate this recognition.”