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Lori Oviatt
20 years of board service
Riverview School Board Member, Learning Solutions Provider, and WSSDA Leadership Development Consultant
Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates: Insights for New Directors From Those Who've Been Where You Are
"Life is like a box of chocolates," Forrest Gump's mother told him. "You never know what you're going to get." Ask anyone who has served on a school board, and they'll tell you the same is true of board work. You open each agenda not quite knowing what's inside — a routine policy vote, an unexpected budget question, a packed house at public comment, or a moment that reminds you exactly why you ran. The variety isn't a distraction from the work. It is the work.
What Brought Me to Board Work
Like many new directors, I came to the table because I cared deeply about the students in my community and wanted a seat at the table where decisions are made. What surprised me was how much the role would keep teaching me. These days, I get to give back through WSSDA — helping new directors find their footing, because those first months are so much easier when someone shares the little map printed inside the lid.
What It Takes to Be a Great Board Member
The strongest directors I know aren't the ones with every answer. They're the ones who stay curious, ask good questions, and remember that a board governs as a team — not as five or seven individuals. Great board members do their homework before the meeting, listen more than they talk during it, and anchor every decision to one question: Is this good for students? The chocolates change month to month. That north star doesn't.
What I Wish I'd Known When I Started
I wish I'd known it was okay not to know everything on day one. New directors often feel pressure to arrive fully formed — you don't have to. Lean on your superintendent, your fellow directors, WSSDA's resources, and the people in this network. Ask the "basic" question; someone else in the room is wondering the same thing. Governance is a skill you grow into, not a test you pass.
The Takeaway
You won't love every piece in the box, and some months are more nougat than caramel. But show up prepared, stay grounded in student outcomes, and lean on the people around you — and even the surprises become part of what makes this work meaningful.
That's what the New Director Network is here for. We're sampling the box together, one month at a time.
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