Credit Manatee County School Board Chair Karen Carpenter, too, for saving district

In reading the editorial, "School district continues strong progress," in the March 20 Herald, I want to point out that as a 48-year veteran of volunteering at the School District of Manatee County and the past chair of the citizens advisory group for the selection of a new superintendent, a great deal of dynamics occurred that went unreported.

However, the above article is superb, accurate and clarifying. Yet, you have left out a very significant fact. In 2012 when the SDMC literally collapsed financially and operationally, our board chairperson was Karen Carpenter, Esq.

Under her calm but assertive leadership, a 24-person committee was assembled, 28 candidates were vetted and decisions made. This set our district on a course toward healing.

Mrs. Carpenter worked under very adverse conditions because of the dysfunctional board, a literal void in administrative leadership, and the precarious condition of the district. Yet, she lead us through that crisis.

If one looks presently, she is our board chairman now and continues to tirelessly lead so as to assure our community that we will have a school district second to none. Karen is truly an ambassador of good will and good leadership. Few realize how expertly she fashioned outcomes on situations that could have caused the state to take over our school district. We as a community owe her a very great debt of gratitude and I for one say THANK YOU, Mrs. Carpenter.

Richard Conard, MD

Bradenton

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Credit Manatee County School Board Chair Karen Carpenter, too, for saving district ."