Voters will elect 3 candidates to the Jefferson County Board of Education this year. Early voting for the May 10 election will begin on April 27 and run through May 7. Absentee ballot requests must be received by May 4. The last day to register to vote (or update your voter registration) is April 19 (Tue).
Information on voter registration, absentee voting, polling place locations at GoVoteWV.com.
[READ MORE: Meet the candidates running for Jefferson County Board of Education]
A Very Specific Role
Kathy Skinner, who currently serves as the president of the Jefferson County Board of Education, stresses that “the most important aspect to understand about the School Board is that we are a board of five, not five individuals. We have no authority to act as individuals. As a board, our purpose is to hire the Superintendent and set policy. There are many changes the board might like to make on a local level; however Charleston holds the power to make many of these changes.”
Need to Compromise
Joe Spurgis, a local resident who spent 33 years at Harpers Ferry Middle School, first as a science teacher and later as the principal, noted what he’s seen over the years with the Board of Education. “There is an immense amount of knowledge that accumulates within the board over the years. They listen to a lot of wishes and concerns. But they need to be able to compromise to get anything done. You hope everyone is looking for the betterment of the students, but you can’t just look at one or two issues, you need to listen to the other board members, to the community.”
Listening & Responding
On listening, Spurgis remarked, “there is a misperception that the board can respond directly to every question. Their job at meetings is to sit and listen. Even if they wanted to respond, they don’t necessarily have the knowledge to respond at public comment. However, they can direct the Superintendent to follow up, review or respond to questions, and then take up issues on future agendas.”
Public Schools Affect The Entire Community
Even if you don’t have children in the public schools, the quality and reputation of the system matters to the economic vitality of a community. “When a company is looking to locate in a community, they have their business criteria for the return on their investment,” says Dennis Jarvis II, Executive Director of the Jefferson County Development Authority. “They also look at the overall quality of life for their employees and the local amenities, including schools. The Jefferson County Public Schools are highly ranked within West Virginia and that helps attract businesses. Personally, the public schools were a factor in my own decision to relocate from North Carolina to Jefferson County, particularly the eagerness of the Superintendent and the staff to work with industries to support career pathways for students. For businesses, the public schools are part of the long-term value they look for when locating and expanding in a community.”
Any county resident who is registered to vote can cast a ballot in the school board election.
State regulations require that school board candidates reside in Jefferson county. No more than two members can be from the same Magisterial District (Charles Town, Harpers Ferry, Kabletown, Middleway, Shepherdstown), but candidates run county-wide and all voters can vote for any candidate (with three open seats, every voter can select up to three school board candidates this year).
[READ MORE: Meet the candidates running for Jefferson County Board of Education]
Voters will elect 3 candidates to the Jefferson County Board of Education this year. Early voting for the May 10 election will begin on April 27 and run through May 7. Absentee ballot requests must be received by May 4. The last day to register to vote (or update your voter registration) is April 19 (Tue).
Information on voter registration, absentee voting, polling place locations at GoVoteWV.com.
[READ MORE: The Observer’s coverage of all the 2022 elections in Jefferson County]
This page was updated on April 2 2022 with additional information on the 2022 elections.
By Staff Contributor