The November 5 election will see two new faces on the Dexter Community Schools Board of Education and it also marks an end of an era that spanned over four decades.

Choosing not to run for re-election, both Dick Lundy and Mara Greatorex are stepping down from their spots on the board of education after the election.

As a longtime board member, Lundy was first elected to the Dexter school board in 1979. His time on the board traces back to when he first ran for election after helping to lead a bonding and millage campaign called Citizens for Better Schools.

When he first ran, Lundy said he set out with a handful of overall goals to achieve. They were: building community support; working together as board members, teachers, administrators and community members; planning with sensible budgeting; emphasizing programs; adding needed equipment and conducting necessary maintenance.

He said looking back; many of those goals still apply today. They have helped guide him through his 45 years on the board.

“I felt like we were making a difference,” Lundy said.

Greatorex agreed and said her time on the board over the past six years was also about giving back. She said she was grateful that not only were her kids getting a top notch education in Dexter from teachers that cared so much about them, but that there were so many opportunities available to them. She said her kids had different learning styles and both were accommodated.

Because of this and wanting others to have the same opportunities, she said, “I wanted to give back to the community and the school district.”

She’s learned a lot during her time on the board, she said, and paid tribute to Lundy as being a big reason and help.

“Dick is a wealth of knowledge and he is kind and generous,” Greatorex said. “He has done a lot to lay the solid foundation for the district.”

Both point to student learning as always being a main priority. Another was valuing parents, families, teachers, administration, staff and the important roles they all play in the lives of the students.

From helping to build the education and learning environment to budgeting and planning and being stewards overseeing the growth of the district, just to name a few highlights, Lundy said he thinks the school board has played an important part in the district’s success.

“I think Dexter is a premier school district,” Lundy said.

Photo 1: Student success is always a priority for the school board. Photo courtesy of DCS

Photo 2 and 3: Dick Lundy and Mara Greatorex. Photos courtesy of DCS