Two Dexter school board members have recently earned awards from the Michigan Association of School Boards for their 2022 efforts to improve their leadership skills, demonstrating their commitment to student achievement and their own continuous improvement. Awards are earned for classes completed in MASB’s leadership training program, as well as for conference attendance, years of service, and leadership activities. Whole boards that achieve and maintain certification status are also recognized.
The following are being honored by MASB:
Elise Bruderly – Level 2 Award of Merit
Mara Greatorex – Level 3 Award of Distinction
MASB training and professional development help board members to keep pace with the fast-moving and complex changes in public education. Last year, more than 1,800 school board members statewide participated in MASB’s professional development program for elected school leaders. The hours devoted to this training are above and beyond the time members spend at their local meetings, events, and reviewing policies and board packets.
Superintendent Dr. Chris Timmis shared his perspective: “MASB offers invaluable training on school law, finance, operations, and transparency for new and experienced board members. When trustees invest their time to be educated on these topics, it improves board functioning and benefits the entire school community. Dexter Community Schools appreciate Mara and Elise’s thoughtful service.”
“I’ve worked with school boards and public schools for more than 25 years and am always in awe of the commitment of so many members,” said MASB Executive Director Don Wotruba, CAE. “Schools are under exceptional pressure to be innovative and reinvent the way they deliver education. Training equips them with the tools necessary to make the best decisions for Michigan’s schoolchildren. The time they spend being servant leaders and honing their skills is second to none.”
A full overview of the individual and whole-board training levels can be viewed at masb.org/miboardawards.
Mara Greatorex was elected to the Board of Education in 2018. Her second and youngest child will graduate from Dexter High School this year. Greatorex earned a BA in Telecommunications from Michigan State University. She has served on the board of E4DS, was active with the Cornerstone Parent Teacher Group (CPTG) Leadership Team, and coached girls at Wylie, Creekside, and Mill Creek for Girls on the Run (GOTR) for seven years. Additionally, she has served on her neighborhood Homeowner Association Board. Greatorex is a fitness instructor and exercise program supervisor at the Dexter, Chelsea, and Stockbridge Wellness Centers. Mara previously served as Board Secretary and Vice President and has been Board President since 2021.
Elise Bruderly was appointed to the Board of Education in July 2020 and elected in November of the same year. She earned the Certified Board member Award through the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) in 2021. She has boy/girl twins attending Dexter High School. Bruderly has a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Social Work, both from the University of Michigan. As a Clinical Social Worker with a concentration in interpersonal practice with adults and elderly and a Specialist in Aging Certificate, Bruderly has worked in both inpatient and outpatient health care settings. She is an author, publishing the book “Parenting Twins: The Handbook for Containing Chaos and Preserving Memories in the First Year” in October, 2014. Bruderly was a founding member of Excellence 4 Dexter Students (E4DS), a non-profit formed to financially support Dexter Community Schools. She served in several positions on the board over five years, including three years as Board President. In 2020, she facilitated the merger of E4DS with the Educational Foundation of Dexter (EFD). Elise has been Board Vice President since 2021.
