Board appoints James J. Phoenix to fill District C seat after interviews, ranking and unanimous vote

The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees appointed James J. Phoenix to fill the District C vacancy at a special meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, and immediately administered the oath of office.

The appointment followed a public interview process in which trustees interviewed four candidates — Jason Bushey, Felipe Escamilla, Marcus Hodges and James J. Phoenix — and then ranked finalists using a 3-2-1 points system. Board members read public comment submitted by email and heard several speakers in person before returning to the dais to vote. Phoenix received the largest aggregate score in the ranking and the board approved the motion to appoint him by a 6-0 roll call.

The board had conducted the interviews under procedures it explained in the meeting: candidates were selected by random draw to ensure question parity, finalists were sequestered between interviews, and trustees answered from a set of prewritten questions asked in alphabetical order. Trustees also said they would read and publicly disclose how each trustee ranked the finalists before taking action.

Trustees described a competitive field. President Beth Smith thanked all four finalists and told them, "this is among the most talented groups of finalists that I have ever seen in modern history with this board." Candidates emphasized different priorities during their interviews. Jason Bushey said, "Teachers are the cornerstone of our educational system, shaping the minds of our future community members and leaders," and focused on recruitment, retention and class size. Felipe Escamilla emphasized technology and emerging issues such as artificial intelligence in classrooms. Marcus Hodges highlighted early intervention and fiscal management. Phoenix underscored community engagement, student supports and service to veterans and Indigenous communities.

After interviews and a public comment period in which the board said it read all emailed comments received during the meeting, trustees returned to the chamber to rank finalists. The scoring tallies read aloud by the board clerk showed the following aggregate points: Jason Bushey, 2; Felipe Escamilla, 11; Marcus Hodges, 8; James J. Phoenix, 15. Vice President Adam Mayberry moved to appoint Phoenix under Nevada Revised Statute NRS 386.270; Trustee Diane Nicollet seconded the motion. The board voted in favor, 6-0, and Phoenix was sworn in at the meeting. The motion specified the appointed trustee would serve "until midnight on January 4, 2027."

Public commenters and dozens of emailed correspondences were part of the record. Speakers who addressed the board in person included Nancy Pudades Baba, Sandy Tibbitt, Drew Rebar and Paul White; written commenters whose names were read into the record included a list of individuals the board said it had received by email during the period leading up to and during the meeting. Trustees said the board reviewed those messages before ranking candidates.

Phoenix took the oath and immediately took his seat at the dais. Trustees closed the meeting after formal adjournment and noted the district's next scheduled meeting time.

The appointment fills the District C seat through Jan. 4, 2027. The board's public materials and meeting minutes will include the ranking sheet and the recorded vote.

Ending: The board's action concluded the special meeting; Phoenix's term runs through the date specified in the motion, and he will serve on the board beginning immediately following his swearing in. The district is scheduled to hold its next regular meeting later that day at 2 p.m.