A former Edenton-Chowan Public Schools central office administrator and high school principal has filed for the school board seat being vacated by the board’s chairman.
Sheila Evans filed Friday, June 28, for the District 1, Seat 1 position currently held by Gene Jordan, who has already announced he’s not seeking re-election in November.
The seats of two other ECPS incumbents — Paul Clifton, who holds District 2 seat 1, and Joan A. White, who holds District 3 seat 2 — are also up for election in November. Neither had filed for re-election as of Tuesday morning.
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 jo as the school district’s chief academic officer.
She said she’s running for the open school board seat 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.”
Evans noted that the district has polices “to guide us in those decisions.”
“When our policies hinder us, it is time to rethink and rework the verbiage,” she said. “I am ready to tackle the work ahead of us to ensure Edenton Chowan Schools excels.”
Evans said that the expansion of school choice in North Carolina has meant the public schools must compete for every student, assuring parents that the ECPS district is a great place for their children to learn. She said she would bring the experience she gained from 35 years in public education to bear on telling the school system’s story.
She listed several things the school system needs to work on:
• Student behavior and mental well-being;
• Student performance: academic, vocational, and athletic;
• Staff appreciation, including compensation increases;
• Facility upgrades, including cleanliness of buildings and grounds.
Evans also said the school district and school board need to foster a relationship with employees and parents. She said the district also needs to build “a working relationship built upon trust, love for one another, and stewardship of our resources” with community members, adding, “This is doable.”
The filing period for the Edenton-Chowan Board of Education closes at noon on Friday, July 26. The filing fee is $48.
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