Licensed Counselor Runs For Board Position

Farmington School Board, Position 5

A licensed counselor, Mindy Grusing, 44, said her experiences as a counselor in different school settings would help her bring a unique perspective to the Farmington School Board.

Grusing is licensed in clinical social work and offers private counseling to individuals, couples and families, as well as working with teens at different schools in Northwest Arkansas.

She has a bachelor of science degree in psychology and sociology, a minor in counseling and holds a master’s of social work degree.

Grusing is challenging the incumbent for Position

5 on Farmington Board of Directors.

Grusing said she has an invested interest in Farmington School District because she has three children attending Farmington schools. Her oldest is in the Freshman Academy this year. She also has a child attending the middle school and her youngest is at Williams Elementary School.

“I am running in an effort to help support the continued improvement of Farmington Schools overall,” Grusing said.

Grusing said she sees the role of a school board member as someone who is willing to advocate to make a school its best educationally with the resources provided. A school board member also is there to become the voice of the community and for the community, she said.

She believes she can fill this role.

“I am able and willing to speak up and offer new ideas as well as back old ones that are effective. I have a great deal of experience from working in the schools which offers a fresh perspective.”

Grusing attended a school near Kansas City that was about the same size of Farmington. She graduated with a class of 164 students and said this gives her the perspective of what can be offered in a school the size of Farmington.

“I also have worked in numerous schools in the area as a counselor including Farmington, Springdale, Greenland, and presently Haas Hall. These experiences have given me a unique view I can bring to the Board since I have heard what kids and teachers are desiring and have seen what is working in some schools and what is not,” Grusing said.

If elected, she said her first goal would be to support efforts to improve Farmington’s education, whether that is by offering more challenging classes or finding ways to hold students to a higher standard and accountability.

“I would want to talk to the school counselors, teachers, and principals and find out what Farmington kids are hoping to be after graduation in order to know where to distribute the resources. Also, I want to advocate for more fine arts programs, clubs, and athletics.”

She continued, “Many schools of our size offer more in these areas, giving students more things to invest in and more opportunities to get college scholarships. We need to consider offering more for those students that have different talents, interests, and future goals.”

If given the opportunity, Grusing said she would be honored to serve on the Farmington School Board and represent school patrons.

Grusing