Isle of Wight County School Board elects chair, vice chair and names clerks, committees at annual organizational meeting

Jason Marsh was elected chair of the Isle of Wight County School Board during the board’s annual organizational meeting on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, after a two-candidate contest and roll-call votes. The board also elected Mark Wooster as vice chair, appointed Jessica Whitlow as school board clerk and Casey Pulley as deputy clerk, designated two deputy superintendents as superintendent designees, approved the regular meeting dates and adopted a code of conduct. Several standing and advisory committee assignments were confirmed.

The organizational meeting followed procedures required by the Code of Virginia and the board’s bylaws and rules of procedure, which the board secretary referenced at the start of the session. The items handled at the meeting — officer elections, clerk appointments, meeting dates, committee assignments and superintendent designees — set leadership and administrative responsibilities for the 2025 calendar year.

The chair contest began after nominations. Mark Brewster and Jason Marsh were nominated. The board first voted on Mark Wooster’s candidacy (as the transcript records Wooster was the first nominee for chair); that nomination received two yes votes and three no votes and failed. The subsequent vote for Jason Marsh received three yes votes and two no votes and Marsh was declared the 2025 school board chair. Madam Clerk announced, “With the majority of the votes, let the record show that board member Marsh was elected to be the 2025 school board chair.”

After the chair election, the board elected Mark Wooster vice chair by unanimous voice vote. The board then appointed Ms. Jessica Whitlow as school board clerk and Ms. Casey Pulley as deputy clerk; both appointments passed on recorded votes in which all five board members voted yes.

The board designated Deputy Superintendent Susan Getz and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Chris Coleman as the superintendent’s designees; that appointment passed unanimously. The board approved its regular meeting dates for 2025 and adopted a school board code of conduct; both items passed on recorded votes with all members voting yes.

The board assigned members to standing and advisory committees for 2025. The Finance Committee was appointed with Mr. Collett and Mrs. Perkins as members. The Policy Committee was appointed with Brandy Perkins, John Collett and Mark Wooster as members; the board discussed that having three members on a five-member board’s committee can constitute a quorum and should be advertised and constrained to advisory/recommendation roles under FOIA and the board bylaws. The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Committee was appointed with Brandy Perkins, Mark Wooster and Mr. Cunningham serving. The board appointed Jason Marsh as primary and Mr. Cunningham as secondary representative to the WHRO Board of Directors. For the CSEP Joint Board and Governor’s School for the Arts, the board appointed John Collett as primary and Jason Marsh as secondary. The Special Education Advisory Committee appointments named Mark Brewster and Jason Marsh as representatives.

Board members offered brief closing remarks noting the smooth conduct of the organizational meeting and acknowledging differences of opinion during the chair election. The board adjourned at the conclusion of the session.

Votes at a glance: - Chair (election): Jason Marsh elected chair. Roll call: Collett — yes; Cunningham — yes; Perkins — no; Wooster — no; Marsh — yes. Outcome: passed (3–2). - Vice chair: Mark Wooster elected vice chair. Outcome: passed (5–0). - Clerk: Jessica Whitlow appointed school board clerk. Outcome: passed (5–0). - Deputy clerk: Casey Pulley appointed deputy clerk. Outcome: passed (5–0). - Superintendent designees: Susan Getz and Dr. Chris Coleman designated. Outcome: passed (5–0). - 2025 meeting dates: Approved. Outcome: passed (5–0). - School board code of conduct: Adopted. Outcome: passed (5–0). - Committee assignments and external board appointments: Approved as listed above. Outcome: passed (5–0) on each listed assignment where recorded.

(All votes and actions are recorded in the meeting transcript for Jan. 16, 2025.)