No contested school board races in E-Chowan

EDENTON — There will be no contested school board races in Chowan County this fall.

No other candidates filed by Friday's noon deadline. As a result, only three candidates' names will appear on the Nov. 5 election ballot for the three open school board seats in Chowan.

Incumbent Edenton-Chowan Public School board members Joan White filed for re-election to Seat 2 in District 3 and Samuel Paul Clifton filed for Seat 1 in District 2, while former Edenton-Chowan school administrator and principal Shelia Evans filed for Seat 1 in District 1. Board Chairman Gene Jordan, who currently holds Seat 1 in District 1, is not seeking re-election.

“I am again seeking a position on the Edenton-Chowan school board because I believe in its commitment to making success attainable for all children while embracing the core values of the citizens of Edenton and Chowan County,” White said in a statement.

Clifton did not respond to an email seeking comment about his decision to seek re-election.

Evans, who retired from ECPS in March 2023, served as principal of D.F. Walker Elementary School and John A. Holmes High School before taking a job as the school district’s chief academic officer. She said she’s running for Seat 1 in District 1 on the school board because “I have a passion for our children and our community."

“I am a straightforward person who gets the job done,” she said. “Many times, there are several solutions to a problem. That is why we see so much turmoil in the political realm today. However, when it comes to educating our children, we must solve those problems based on what’s best for students.”

The next school board in Edenton-Chowan will have a couple of important tasks to complete. One is hiring a new schools superintendent to replace Dr. Michael Sasscer, who left in June for a principal's job at Topsail High School in Pender County. Rick Stout, who retired as superintendent of the Onslow County Schools in 2019, is serving as the district's interim superintendent until Sasscer's successor is hired.

The Edenton-Chowan school board also will continue to oversee construction of a new high school to replace John A. Holmes High School.