THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 5, 1996 TAG: 9607030250
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: By DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 55 lines
School Board members have it easy. They meet for a few hours twice a month. They get good seats at school functions. They have their way with millions in taxpayer dollars.
So says the rumor mill.
But outgoing board member G1CPKOR05 Korving
Mary Korving has proof otherwise.
In one year as a board member, she logged 3,900 extra miles checking on the goings-on at schools and attending meetings. Korving personally tracked 638 1/2 hours of ``out-of-the-house'' time - taking care of board-related responsibilities.
What of the hours in the house, talking on the phone to concerned parents or reading and preparing for board meetings?
``I couldn't begin to tell you,'' Korving said.
And the more memorable sacrifices were the missed time with her husband and two children.
``My work is very flexible,'' said Korving, who runs a billing service from her Western Branch home.
``But I wasn't home to make dinner for my family and we had always sat down to dinner together. There were so many evenings I was involved in attending a meeting or an activity.''
Still, Korving said she enjoyed her time on the board.
``It has been a real honor,'' said Korving, who was appointed in 1994.
Her decision not to run this past May was one of the most difficult decisions she had to make, she said. But Korving said she felt uncomfortable with the idea of School Board elections.
Chesapeake had its first board election last year.
``I'm not comfortable being a candidate,'' Korving said. ``I didn't want to go through the campaign process.''
But Korving said she would remain active in the schools.
Korving and her family moved from New Jersey to Chesapeake in 1984. She quickly became involved in the Western Branch PTAs, sitting on various committees and executive boards.
PTA activities gave her a taste of leadership. But some things are hard to prepare for, she said.
``Some of the most difficult decisions dealt with school rezonings,'' Korving said. ``You have parents whose children have attended one school, it's become their community school, and you're asking them to attend another. It's difficult.''
But there also were high points she didn't anticipate - like ``being a part of such an honorable body. . . getting to know the school administrators and realizing their dedication. I've been extremely impressed.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Korving
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE SCHOOL BOARD by CNB