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

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

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

When he first ran, Lundy said he set out with a handful of broad goals to achieve. These were: building community support; work together as board members, teachers, administrators, and community members; planning with rational budgeting; emphasizing programs; adding the necessary equipment and performing the necessary maintenance.

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

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

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

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

She learned a lot during her time on the board, she said, and credited Lundy as a major reason and help.

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

Both indicate that student learning is always a top priority. Another was valuing parents, families, teachers, administration, staff and the important roles they all play in students’ lives.

From helping build the education and learning environment to budgeting and planning and being administrators who oversee the district’s growth, to name just a few highlights, Lundy said she believes the school board has played a big role 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

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