Though she never planned it this way, Teresa Birge’s background could not have been a better preparation for her to serve on Anne Arundel County’s Board of Education.

After growing up in Crofton, Teresa received her Bachelors in Mass Communications and Political Science from Towson University and her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Delaware. Her first jobs included working for the Maryland House Appropriations Committee in Annapolis, as well as the Maryland Municipal League.

“In those positions, I was never allowed to have any kind of political agenda. Everything had to be based on fact,” she explained.

She has also received more education in the area of accounting and could now take her CPA exam at any time. “That has served me well in board budget meetings,” she said with a smile.

Teresa Milio attended Crofton Elementary, Crofton Jr. High, and Arundel High. After school, she settled in Odenton with her husband and had two children, one now in second grade at Seven Oaks Elementary and the other still in preschool.

She applied to be the new board of education member that was added to represent District 32 two years ago after someone knowledgeable about her background and expertise asked her to consider it. The new process of choosing board members consists of a commission who gathers applications of interested candidates, conducts extensive interviews, and then recommends two candidates to the Governor’s Office for the final decision. A retention vote during a general election then followed, insuring Ms. Birge could keep her seat for the remainder of the five-year term.

Her favorite part of the job so far has been visiting the schools, particularly the local ones she attended years ago. “I visited Arundel and ran into my English teacher who was retired but subbing that day. I told her she trained me well,” she recalled.

Her biggest frustration is the budget situation. “The Superintendent has done a wonderful job of cutting every penny possible that is away from the classroom,” she explained.

She is most concerned about the possibility that the backlog of maintenance projects to keep school buildings functional is not funded at this time. “This is a great time to take advantage of the low interest rates and low contractor costs,” she said. “We are really missing an opportunity to get things done that need our attention.”

Will she run again when her term is up in a couple of years?

“At this point, I would say yes,” she said. “I feel a big responsibility that all our students are successful and that we provide them with the right tools, appropriate buildings, and teachers who are satisfied enough to keep working hard.”

Andrew Pruski

It isn’t often that a member of a Board of Education has as much experience in the field as Andrew Pruski. He has been a teacher, interned at the U.S. Department of Education, and worked his way up in the Baltimore County Public Schools to Supervisor of Assessments.

While growing up, Mr. Pruski’s family lived in the Fort Meade area before moving to upstate New York. After graduating from Niagara University, he interned at both Senator Daniel Moynihan’s office and the U.S. Department of Education where he became truly inspired by the former Secretary of Education Richard Riley.

“He would make it a point to visit with staff regularly and talk about how extraordinary it is to work in this field,” he recalled.

Mr. Pruski then went on to teach in Prince George’s County where he met his wife, Roxanne, also a teacher. He left to take an administrative position at the Baltimore County Public Schools, and he and Roxanne moved to the Four Seasons community a few years ago. They now have two small children.

Mr. Pruski took Tricia Johnson’s Board of Education spot when she was appointed to the County Council. His appointment approval will be on the ballot next November.

Public service is a calling for Mr. Pruski, who also serves as the president of the Four Seasons Community Association, as a member of the West County Lions Club, a member of the Western District Police Community Relations Council, and as usher for the Church of the Holy Apostles.

“Sure, the time commitment to be so active is tough on my family,” said Mr. Pruski. “I just couldn’t do all this without the support of my wife. She is an incredible sounding board.”

His primary mission in his role on the Board of Education and other community work is to promote the sharing of information. He recently worked on the development of a West County Leaders Roundtable group that meets periodically to discuss the concerns and efforts of a variety of community groups.

“Often voters or stakeholders aren’t getting information they need to really understand issues,” he said. “I want to be a resource of information and come up with ways that residents get the facts they need to make informed decisions.”

Mr. Pruski hopes to stay on the board as both of his children enter school at Four Seasons Elementary School in the next few years.

“I have a unique perspective on the board. Many of the board members have had children leave the system already, but mine are going to be affected by everything we address in board meetings,” he observed. “I am blown away but what our school system does with the resources they are given, and I am committed to making sure we do everything we can to continue that standard.”