When Dr. Alvera Parrish took hold of the reigns as Superintendent of Southampton County’s public schools last summer, one of the things she promised was a more transparent and open school administration. And she has delivered. Just this week, public meetings were held so that the superintendent could explain the proposed budget for the upcoming school year to parents whose children attend county schools.

Linger on that thought for just a moment.

It is more than fair to say that while previous superintendents and school board members have done a decent job in leading Southampton County’s schools, they were often less than accommodating when it came to disclosing information. Dr. Parrish recognized that as an obstacle to improvement, and charted a new course for her administration. It is a refreshing change, to say the least.