To the editor:

The Lindbergh community suffered a great loss on Feb. 25 when Kate Holloway, a member of the Board of Education, passed away after a battle with cancer.

Over the last several years of serving on the BOE with Kate, she became far more than a colleague to me, but also one of my dearest friends. Kate had huge heart with a passion for life that touched everyone she met, and she was driven in every aspect of life by clearly defined beliefs and ideals. The most important areas of Kate’s life were her faith and her family, but her love for her country and passion for learning were not far behind.

Kate served on the BOE to ensure that Lindbergh children re-ceive the best education possible. Obviously, there are many facets to providing an excellent education, but there are three areas that Kate, while in intensive care in late 2015, insisted that her daughter convey to me, that I believe are important to share.

The district must remain fiscally responsible — always within budget. If we operate outside of our budget now, future cuts will be required, causing negative impact to future generations of students.

Family and community involvement is one of the key pillars to Lindbergh’s success. Our curriculum, policies and extracurricular activities should reflect the beliefs, morals and standards of the Lindbergh community, not that of those from outside who have no vested interest in the outcome of our children.

Finally, although technology provides many advantages, there are still some important non-technological skills that should still be kept in the classroom, such as basic penmanship — especially cursive — and actual books. Without the ability to read and write cursive, future generations not only lose the appreciation of receiving a handwritten letter in the mail but more importantly, the ability to read historical documents originally penned in cursive.

Disclaimer: I am not writing this letter from Lindbergh’s BOE nor am I suggesting that this is the opinion of the Lindbergh BOE. This is my own opinion and I hope accurately reflects those opinions Kate shared with me.

What I can say reflects the opinion of not only the entire BOE but also the administration, is that Lindbergh is a better place thanks to the countless hours of dedication from Kate.

We will all miss her insight, sense of humor, thoughtful gestures and gifts and more. I will truly miss her wisdom and friendship.

Kara Horton

Lindbergh Board of Education member