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Two To Be Appointed Next Week
Lexington City Council last Thursday interviewed four applicants for appointment to two available seats on the Lexington School Board.
The fifth applicant, Katharine Shester, who is seeking reappointment after her 2021 to 2024 term on the board, was not able to attend the meeting.
The other School Board member whose term concludes at the end of this month, Michael Saunders, is not seeking reappointment, it was announced at last week’s meeting.
City Council will vote on the two appointments at its June 20 meeting. Those selected will serve from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2025.
In the past, Lexington has had a school board entirely appointed by city council. However, citizens voted on a referendum in the November 2022 election to switch to an elected board.
This November, the seats currently held by Tammy Dunn, Sandra Hayslette and Brendan Perry will be up for election. Those wishing to run must submit all paperwork by June 14.
The seats currently held by Saunders and Shester, which will be filled by appointment this month, will come up for election on the November 2025 ballot. -Candidates interviewed last week answered questions from the mayor and five City Council members; Marylin Alexander recused herself due to personal connections to a candidate.
On her application, Jennifer Bushnell notes 10 years working as a substitute teacher, three as a special education assistant, and 2.5 years as a paraprofessional.
She attended Keystone College and Western Governors University, earning a bachelor’s degree in educational studies.
When asked what inspired her to apply for a seat on the School Board, Bushnell said that her experience working in schools has given her a unique perspective.
“I really want to see things progress with our schools, and I want to be more involved in what our schools have to offer. I believe there’s a lot more that we need to look at besides just learning,” she said.
“The wellbeing of our schools, health, personalities, unity, compassion, and leadership — that is what I’d like to see,” she said.
More support for teachers is one of the things that Bushnell would work on if appointed.
“That is our main thing, or one of our main things, that the teachers get overwhelmed, and I think we need to support them. We need more paraprofessionals, more inclass support of some sort,” she said.
When asked what she could contribute to the budget process, Bushnell said that she has some experience working in accounts payable, and would reach out to other School Board members for guidance.
-Kari Schindler said she was inspired to apply for the School Board seats through her connections with the schools and the community.
She said that she wants to join the School Board “to lend my expertise, especially in the special education system and help the schools to better deal with special education.”
Schindler spent three years as an elementary teacher, and currently works to help parents and families navigate the special education system.
Graduating from Ferrum College, she earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, with an education program.
When asked about a specific policy she would like to change, Schindler said that she believes city schools’ policy on non-resident students could be improved.
“There are some things going on that I don’t think are entirely fair,” she said. “Parents who have siblings already in the system are being denied access for siblings to join them.”
Schindler said that she has little experience with budgets, but would reach out to other board members for help. -On her application, LaTonya Douglas writes that her goal as a School Board member is “to be the voice for the families still getting their footing and that are still a work in progress.
“I will say, my job has been TAP Head Start, and I’m a Whole Family Advocate, so the majority of my job is working with families. Sitting with them regularly, and working with them kind of inspired me to push myself outside of my comfort zone,” she told City Council.
Douglas works with TAP Head Start as a Whole Family Advocate at Waddell and Yellow Brick Road in Lexington and at YMCA early learning centers in Alleghany, and as an assistant activities leader for the Saturday’s Child program.
“Family is my concern,” said Douglas, when asked to cite specific policies or concerns she would address if appointed.
“If we build healthy families, we build healthy children,” she said. “So I think outreach would be something I would like to see more,” highlighting outreach to lower-income families.
When asked what she could contribute to the budget process, Douglas said that she has limited experience with budgeting, but has run multiple fundraisers. -Mallory Douglas, who attended Waddell and currently has children enrolled there, said that she wanted to be part of improving the school system.
“[Lexington City Schools] offers amazing opportunity, it offers amazing education. But there are some things within the education system. I felt like it’s improving, and they’re making progress, which is huge,” she said.
If appointed, Douglas would like to work on diversity.
“I think one of the best policies … is working on diversity and what that looks like. I think a lot of people assume that means racial, but there are a lot of facets,” she said.
“Diversity is promoted through safe spaces. When people feel safe, when they feel secure, and they feel comfortable, diversity thrives.”
Douglas cited her experience in running a business for five years as something she could bring to the budgeting process, saying her goal was “that we can get the most out of our dollar to give the kids the best that they need, or the teachers the best that they need or the nutritionist the best that they need.”
Douglas currently works for the Department of Social Services in Waynesboro.
