The Fayette County Board of Education at its Nov. 14 meeting voted unanimously to appoint north Fayette resident Leonard Presberg to fill the Post 5 Board of Education seat that became vacant with the recent passing of board member Sam Tolbert. Presberg was one of seven candidates vying for the seat.
The motion to nominate Presberg was made by board member Janet Smola with board member Marion Key making the second. There was no discussion on the nomination and Presberg immediately received a unanimous vote from the four board members.
“My goal is to be an independent voice for the students and the school system,” Presberg said after the meeting.
Presberg said he is committed to doing the best he can for Fayette students and the Fayette community, noting the the school system is the driving force in Fayette County.
“If you ask people why they moved here, most often they will say it was because of the school system,” Presberg said. “Everything we do to help the school system helps the community.
Presberg in his presentation to the school board earlier this month described himself as long-time Fayette County resident who earned a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Richmond School of Law in Richmond, Va. in 1996.
Presberg currently serves at CFO at Women’s Medical Center, was the former Headmaster and teacher at Hill Country Montessori, an attorney with Fayetteville-based George N. Sparrow, Jr., Editor-in-Chief of the Richmond Law Review and Manger of Performance Testing with National Software Testing Laboratories in Philadelphia.
Presberg in his letter of intent noted the current issues facing the BoE and stated that instead of focusing on the negatives, we should look at our situation as a unique opportunity to revitalize our school system while we maintain our top-of-the-line results and reputation. Noting his work methodology as one of collaboration and compromise, Presberg added that, as a board member, his goal would be to educate every stakeholder on the importance of the school system in their lives.
Presberg said he has two children in the Fayette school system and has served as a youth coach on the school council and the PTO. He said that, as a teacher, he has taught all ages of students. Presberg said he is aware of the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching, noting that he is especially interested in the impact of technology on education, both now and in the future. He also referenced the similarities in education and medicine, both currently dealing with decreasing revenues.
“We can’t use this as an excuse not to do our job and our duty,” Presberg said, adding that the school system drives the vibrancy of the community. “The answer is not throwing more money at it, but to do the best we can.”
