A long-running Lakota school board member has announced she will not seek re-election this fall.

Joan Powell, elected as board president this year, said earlier this month that her 16th year as a school board member will be her last.

The five-member board was honored Jan. 14 by Superintendent Karen Mantia as part of Ohio’s School Board Recognition Month. Mantia said oftentimes to the public eye, school board meetings can appear “routine,” and it’s hard to grasp the hours dedicated behind the scenes and outside of meetings.

“I have watched an incredible amount of time this board of education spends in what I would view as some of the most tumultuous educational times,” Mantia said. “It’s deep conversations about children’s futures … and as we ponder the next phase of education for students in a very changing world, those conversations get much more difficult.”

Alongside Powell on the board, Lynda O’Connor — board vice president — has served since 2008; members Ray Murray and Ben Dibble have served since 2010; and the newest member Julie Shaffer joined in January 2012.

Also up for re-election this November, Murray and Dibble said they both plan to run again for the position.

“I don’t think anyone does this job for the recognition or the money,” Powell said. “But certainly I know that this group of individuals, everybody’s heart is in doing this for the betterment of our community and the children of our community to make sure they have quality education.”