Communicator JANUARY 2016
Excellence. For Each and Every Student.
Two Wayzata School Board Members Honored for Service From passing referendums, to construction and renovation of schools, to hiring superintendents, to working to form the district’s strategic plan, Carter Peterson and Jay Hesby have made countless contributions as members of the board. The Wayzata School Board honored Peterson and Hesby at its December 14 meeting. Carter Peterson
Jay Hesby
Carter Peterson is stepping down from the Wayzata School Board after 14 years of service. Peterson served as board treasurer most recently and also served as chair, vice chair and clerk. Peterson decided to run for school board at the suggestion of her friend Brenda Heim after serving as PTO/PTA president at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Because Peterson wanted to focus on her role as Wayzata High School PTO President, she waited until the last day to file to run for a board seat. That day happened to be Sept. 11, 2001. Peterson thought carefully about whether to file or not and decided to move forward. “I wasn’t going to let them stop me!” she said. Fourteen years later, she’s glad she made that decision. Before coming to Minnesota, Peterson worked in California as a buyer for Macy’s department store, so making decisions for the future within set budget guidelines comes naturally to her. Using those skills, Peterson became a champion of maintaining the board’s strong track record of responsible financial decision-
Jay Hesby, after eight years of service on the Wayzata School Board, is stepping down. Hesby most recently served as vice chair, as well as chair and treasurer. Hesby first got involved with Wayzata Public Schools by participating on the district’s Citizens Financial Advisory Council (CFAC). After years on CFAC, Hesby, who is vice president of corporate development for Wells Fargo, was encouraged to run for school board. “I chose to pursue a seat on the board, believing my business and finance experience would provide a good foundation from which to successfully serve and lead,” he shared. Eight years later, Hesby said that he is proud of the board’s prudent financial management, which among its many benefits, has enabled the district to modernize its learning environment through improved facilities, increased utilization of technology and thoughtful evolution of teaching and learning practices. While Hesby’s board colleagues have counted on his financial acumen, they’ve also appreciated his enthusiasm. “Jay has outstanding Trojan pride,” board member Andrea Cuene recently said. “He’s a strong advocate for our schools, and you can see by the way he shakes students’ hands at graduation, he has tremendous pride in our students and our schools.” Board Chair Linda Cohen said that she will miss Hesby’s “calm, sensible feedback,” which always provided balance among the board members. “Jay has been an outstanding board member, and his leadership, knowledge and enthusiasm will be missed,” Cohen shared. Hesby, who has appreciated the way his colleagues’ different perspectives have shaped the decision-making process, said recently,
making. “Watching the money and keeping a balanced budget gives the district the flexibility required to look toward the horizon and make the best choices for our students and families,” Peterson explained. One financial accomplishment Peterson is particularly proud of is the establishment of a trust, called OPEB, for the purpose of funding post-employment benefits for employees. Over her tenure, the trust has become fully funded to cover these obligations and has allowed the district to avoid using general fund dollars for this purpose. This translates into additional dollars available for student learning and instructional purposes. Carter Peterson (continues on page 2)
Jay Hesby (continues on page 2)
“Through sharing our points of view, we generally would come together and reach what we believed to be the best solution for each and every student.”