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Cherokee County Board of Education swears in three members; Patsy Jordan elected vice chair
Summary
At a swearing-in ceremony and brief organizational meeting, the Cherokee County Board of Education administered oaths to Janet Reid Welch, Kelly Poole and Patsy Jordan, and elected Patsy Jordan as vice chair by secret ballot. Board leaders emphasized governance and student safety as priorities.
At a swearing-in ceremony and subsequent organizational meeting for the Cherokee County Board of Education, three members were sworn in and Patsy Jordan was elected vice chair. Judge Keith Wood administered the oaths; the board then held a brief meeting to elect leadership and adjourn.
The ceremony marked the start of the board’s work for 2025 and came with frequent reminders of the board’s responsibility to the district’s students and staff. “I promise to do my best to make all of you proud,” Janet Reid Welch, chair of the Cherokee County Board of Education, said after taking the oath. Welch and the other newly sworn members emphasized service and small, steady improvements for the district’s roughly 42,000 students.
The nut graf: The leadership change is procedural but consequential because the board sets district governance and policy that affect classrooms, staff and transportation. Board members described their role as creating conditions for a “high performing” district and noted that routine operational decisions — such as whether schools will open for weather-related reasons — are an early focus this year.
The board swore in three members. Judge Keith Wood administered the oath of office to Janet Reid Welch; Welch then gave brief remarks reflecting on community service and her family. Kelly Poole was sworn in to represent District 1 and spoke of serving “all the students, families, community, and employees for the entire school district.” Patsy Jordan was sworn in to begin another term and later was elected vice chair.
Abby Roche, the board attorney, ran the organizational portion of the meeting. Roche led the Pledge of Allegiance and oversaw distribution and tabulation of ballots for the vice chair election. Roche told attendees the communications office would notify the public about any district decisions on school openings, saying, “As you know, our number one priority is that we want to keep all of our students safe.” The board used a secret ballot for the officer election; Roche announced, after counting, that the vice chair-elect would be Patsy Jordan.
Formal actions taken at the meeting were procedural. The board elected Patsy Jordan as vice chair by secret ballot (ballot count and roll-call votes were not specified in the meeting record). A subsequent motion to adjourn was moved and seconded; board members voted “aye” to close the meeting.
The board invited the public to remain for a reception after the adjournment. The meeting packet and future board communications were cited as the channels the district will use to publish further details, including any decisions about school operations tied to weather.
Ending: The swearing-in and quick organizational meeting set the board’s leadership for 2025 and reiterated immediate operational priorities; the board said it will communicate any decisions about school openings through its usual channels.
