Experience prevailed in the race for seats on Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education, as voters returned incumbents Nick Didow and Valerie Foushee.
Newcomer Lisa Stuckey also gained a spot on the board.
The three newly elected Board of Education members significantly surpassed defeated candidates Joel Dunn and Chon Shoaf in Tuesday’s election, according to unofficial returns.
Didow said he is pleased to have the opportunity to continue as a member of the school board.
“I’m also pleased that my fellow incumbent is returning to the board,” Didow added. “She and I have worked particularly close this past year as I have served as (chairman) of the board and (Foushee) as vice (chairwoman).”
Foushee could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Stuckey said campaigning was a positive but daunting experience.
“I was trying really hard not to have expectations,” Stuckey said. “I worked really hard in my campaign, and I’m grateful for the support and confidence that voters showed for me.”
Despite not being elected, Joel Dunn said he would continue to interact with the board on certain policies.
“The school district is in good hands,” Dunn said. “I’m looking forward to working with (the board members) as a member of the Strategic Planning Task Force. “The real winner is the school district as a whole,” Dunn added.
Shoaf also expressed regard for the winners.
“I think the winners are excellent,” he said. “My purpose was to make sure good candidates were on the platform.”
The newly elected members also said they were pleased that voters approved a $75 million bond package, which includes $47 million dedicated to schools in Orange County.
“All during my campaign I talked about growth,” Stuckey said. “I’m delighted that the school bond was passed.”
Didow reiterated Stuckey’s feelings by saying the bond could help overcrowded schools.
“The most important election today was the school bond referendum,” Didow said. “The passing of the bond referendum means we can proceed with haste to construct elementary schools number nine and number 10 and (start) the next phase of major renovation on some of our older buildings.”
Didow and Stuckey also said they hoped to narrow the achievement gap between minority and white students during their tenure on the board.
Didow said, “The board has reserved sufficient resources in the budget to implement all the recommendations of the minority student achievement plan.”
The City Editor can be reached
at citydesk@unc.edu.
