COLUMBUS, Miss. (CMSD) – It is very rare for an event in the Columbus Municipal School District to occur without seeing Dr. Josie Shumake.
She has been on the CMSD Board of Trustees for nearly a decade. Her goal has always been to support students, staff, and administrators
“I’m actually an introvert; however, my time on the school board has helped me get out of my shell and grow in directions I’d never thought possible,” said Shumake.
“The absolute best thing about having been on the board since 2016 is getting to know so many wonderful people – colleagues, students, faculty, staff, and (of course) administrators. These CMSD connections led to many other connections in the wider community – which, I’m convinced, would not have happened otherwise,” explained Shumake.
The Columbus native, and proud product of public schools, is actually seen all over town volunteering her time and talents to various organizations. From serving on organizations that helped the city heal in the aftermath of a deadly tornado, which also heavily damaged R.E. Hunt Intermediate School, to being appointed to the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service by former Governor Haley Barbour.
“I enjoy finding connections between/among different groups and introducing people to each other so that we can build synergy among the many organizations which are doing great work throughout the community. If I can put people together so that organizations work together toward the same goal, I feel as if I’ve done something worthwhile,” said Shumake.
She returned to her hometown after retiring from the U.S. diplomatic service. Shumake served 25 years helping promote U.S. foreign policy internationally with the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Information Agency. She’s the recipient of four Superior Honor Awards for her work in Colombia, Washington, Mexico and Peru.
Back in Columbus, public education is Shumake’s passion.
“When I joined the board, I said that by working together with the CMSD administration, faculty, students, parents and community, the board has the ability to make this district one of the best in the state. That belief has been my guiding light and has informed every decision I’ve made,” said Shumake.
She attended her last regular board meeting on December 8th.
State law requires one of the board’s appointed seats to be elected due to changes in student population enrollment.
While her time as a Trustee is coming to a close, Shumake hopes people understand the importance schools and the board has in a community.
“Any school district in Mississippi has an enormous impact on the future of that town or city. The economic and growth data is clear on those points. Our district has demonstrated it can move forward, and it’s incumbent on our board to continue supporting the school administration in that endeavor,” explained Shumake.
The long-time board member says it also takes work to make the impactful decisions on the board.
“The hardest thing about being an active participant on the board is figuring out how to be “active” without breaking the cardinal rule of getting involved in day-to-day operations. The temptation to “fix problems” is enormous. Board members have talents, and they want to help. I know I do. However, in some cases the misguided help can end up damaging a district by violating MDE’s Process Standard 1and causing an immediate downgrade of the district’s accreditation status. Nobody wants that,” explained Shumake.
As for her future, Shumake says CMSD will be front and center of her activities.
“I’ll continue to be a cheerleader for CMSD in the community and open doors wherever possible so that support for our schools continues to grow. I plan to join the Superintendent’s Roundtable, attend board meetings, theatrical productions, music concerts, and athletic events as often as I can. We have so many talented students and staff; it makes me happy to see them excel in their fields,” said Shumake.
Former CMSD Interim Superintendent Dennis Dupree will be sworn in to fill Shumake's seat on January 12th.
