Marian Barksdale will be stepping down from the Oxford School Board in March when her term expires, and we wanted to take a moment to thank her for a job well done.

Barksdale’s replacement will be appointed by the Oxford Board of Alderman, just like she was first appointed in 2005. Her proverbial shoes will be hard to fill, because she has been a valuable member, willing to listen and learn.

The position on the school board is voluntary, but it can come with public pressure and scrutiny that at times can feel more like the board of a Fortune 500 company.

But that’s how important our public schools are.

Barksdale has served during a historic time of growth and change in the Oxford schools and the result, because of her leadership and other’s, is that we have a school system among the very best in the State of Mississippi.

We know it’s not easy serving a role like a school board. We know that it can be thankless more times than not.

But we know the value of having people like Barksdale and others take the time to help make our community better.