Melissa Mason bid farewell to her colleagues on the Mathews County School Board during the board’s Dec. 17 meeting, as she prepares for her new role as a county supervisor.
Mason, the board’s current chairman, was appointed to the school board in February 2017 to fill the unexpired term of Jen Little, who had moved out of the area. That November, she was elected to the remaining two years on the seat.
This November, Mason won election to the Mathews County Board of Supervisors and will begin her four-year term on that board on Jan. 1.
During the Dec. 17 meeting, Mason thanked her fellow board members for the support and friendship they have shown to her. “These three years have gone by so quickly,” she said. “I am thankful for each one of you,” she continued, asking that the school board members give the same support, advice and direction to Desmond Smith, who was elected to fill the vacancy left by Mason.
Board vice chairman John Priest presented a plaque to Mason, thanking her for her service.
During the Dec. 17 meeting, which was held in the Mathews High School media center, the board also:
—Amended its 2019-2020 calendar to make March 3, 2020 a teacher work day and make March 9 (which had been a 1 p.m. dismissal for students to allow for professional development) into a full school day. The changes were made in anticipation of the crowds that all three schools are expected to attract on March 3 when the presidential primary for the Democratic Party is held;
—Approved the appointment of Sabrina Myers as special education teacher assistant at Lee-Jackson Elementary School, as well as extracurricular appointments of Morgan Farmer and Mary Bigger who will assist with the Thomas Hunter Middle School Junior Beta Club, and
—Approved the list of coaches for the intramural basketball program at THMS as follows: new coaches Corey Christensen and Tyler Murphy, returning coaches O’Shae Forrest, Donovan Forrest, Jeff McCurry, Courtney Love, Katherine Small, Robin Rogers, Zach Jaros, Crissy Coons, Melissa Hudgins, C.K. Ambrose, Matt Traft, Milton Jarvis, Reggie Johnson, Carla Faulkner and employee Michelle Forrest.
The school board will hold its retreat beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, in the School Board office. A work session for the 2020-2021 budget will be held at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the MHS media center, followed at 6 by the regular monthly meeting. The following Tuesday, Jan. 28, the school board will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget, as well as another work session.