Baton Rouge, Louisiana – January is School Board Member Recognition Month which is celebrated by 69 school districts throughout Louisiana. Approximately 643 school board members across the state will be honored by their schools and communities for their untiring dedication to school governance. The Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA) joins with others from around the nation in observance of School Board Recognition Month – a time to salute the work of school board members and celebrate public education. This year’s theme, “SCHOOL BOARDS MATTER! Navigating to Success” reinforces the unique role school board members play in promoting and advocating for quality education and the ownership they take for governing their local public schools. These individuals not only bear responsibility for an annual budget, students, and buildings but like most elected officials, their work goes far beyond the board room. A school board member’s service begins well before the gavel bangs to open a meeting and continues long after adjournment.