Former state Rep. Brian Cronin went public this afternoon with a news release outlining his run for Boise School Board.
Said Cronin, in part: “The Boise School District is one of the highest performing districts in the state, thanks to great teachers and strong leadership. That said, this is no time to be complacent.”
As I reported earlier Tuesday, Cronin is running for an open, two-year seat on the school board. Travis Jones, executive director of the Idaho Grain Producers Association, is also running in the Sept. 2 election. Incumbent Shauneen Grange, appointed in February 2013, is not seeking re-election.
Here’s the Cronin news release, in full:
Former state representative and public education advocate Brian Cronin has announced his candidacy for the Boise School District Board.
“It’s no secret that over the past several years, I have been an outspoken advocate for public education and feel strongly that it is the number one issue of our time,” said Cronin. “I believe my experience as an educator, a member of the House Education Committee, a school volunteer, and a parent provide me with the tools and expertise to serve in this critical role and provide leadership as a school trustee.”
After receiving a B.A. in History from Haverford College, Cronin received his Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) from Harvard University, when he also became certified as a bilingual secondary social studies teacher. Cronin also worked as a writer and editor for education publishing giant Scholastic Inc., and taught English at a public university in Ecuador.
Cronin was a vocal opponent of Supt. Tom Luna’s “Students Come First” legislation and worked to defeat the laws, as a member of the Legislature and then for the 2012 statewide ballot initiative, when the public overwhelmingly voted to repeal the laws.
“The Boise School District is one of the highest performing districts in the state, thanks to great teachers and strong leadership. That said, this is no time to be complacent. I look forward to helping the Board and the district continue to pursue even higher levels of educational attainment for all of Boise’s kids.”
Cronin has worked in marketing and communications for the last 20 years and is currently Senior VP at Strategies 360, a PR and communications firm. He and his wife Veronica have two daughters, who are students in the Boise public schools.
