By Chris BLUME

As the state budget shrinks smaller and smaller and less and less money is afforded to the school system, it is indeed a difficult job to advocate for the district’s children and their future. That is, however, exactly what Mary Boger, currently the president of the Glendale Education School District board, will be doing in her role as the newly elected vice president of the CSBA, the California School Board Association, the largest school board association in the country.

Having deep roots in Glendale, Boger has no plans of moving though the state capital will be a frequent destination. “I really will be doing a lot of traveling,” she said. She will be making multiple trips every month to Sacramento to meet with the CSBA and California Legislators, and to Washington, DC where she will meet with policy makers in the White House.

The Glendale Board of Education and GUSD have been working hard to deal with their budget without shortchanging the students whose futures they ensure.  Boger admits that the size of the district has been a buffer that has prevented the district from having to make some of the cuts that many of our surrounding districts have had to make, like cutting art programs. Now that she is involved with the CSBA she will be acting as a legislative advocate, trying to ensure that all of the California school districts get adequate funding from the state and the federal government, while still maintaining local autonomy.

So, what’s in her future? “A lot of work,” Boger explained.

She expects to become the association’s president in due time.