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Washoe County School Board names four finalists to interview for District C seat
Summary
After hearing nine applicants and public comment, the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees voted 6-0 to advance four candidates — Jason Bushey, Felipe Escamilla, Marcus Hodges and James Phoenix — to final interviews on Jan. 14.
The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees on Jan. 7 advanced four finalists for the vacant District C seat after hearing presentations from eight applicants and public comment.
President Beth Smith said the board would select up to five finalists to interview and described the public, transparent ranking process the trustees would use. After each applicant spoke, trustees privately assigned 3, 2 and 1 points to their top three choices; totals were read aloud after a short recess. Recording secretary JJ Batchelder read the point totals and the board then voted to move four candidates to the final interview round on Jan. 14.
The finalists advancing to final interviews are Jason Bushey, Felipe Escamilla, Marcus Hodges and James Phoenix. Batchelder announced the aggregate point totals as Jason Bushey 7, Felipe Escamilla 11, Marcus Hodges 5, Monica Lehman 1, Tamara Oswald 1 and James Phoenix 11. After a motion to advance the top four and a second, the board approved the motion 6-0.
The board opened the meeting with the posted agenda item that described the statutory authority for considering applicants (Nevada Revised Statute NRS 241.033 and NRS 241.034). Trustees heard up to five minutes from each applicant; applicants emphasized a mix of priorities, including academic rigor, teacher support and career and technical education. For example, Monica Lehman said Nevada’s state ranking “is unacceptable” and emphasized returning to basics in reading and arithmetic and increasing transparency on district finances. Marcus Hodges and James Phoenix described experience working with special education and rural/native students; Jason Bushey and Felipe Escamilla spoke about community engagement and supports for teachers.
Public comment preceded deliberation. Members of the public urged the board to select finalists who will challenge the status quo and to include voices representative of District C. Todd Bailey, representing the Committee to Fix Washoe Schools, recommended five candidates for the finalist pool and urged stronger action on the board’s land-acknowledgment commitments. Other public speakers urged a focus on academic performance, transparency and student safety.
President Smith notified the four finalists that they could be appointed at a special meeting scheduled for Jan. 14 at 9 a.m., and reminded finalists that the board’s regular meeting would occur later that afternoon. The board staff said finalists would be contacted the following day with next steps.
Votes at a glance: the motion to advance the four named candidates passed on a roll call voice vote, recorded as 6 in favor, 0 opposed; no abstentions were recorded.
The board will conduct final interviews on Tuesday, Jan. 14; if the board appoints a candidate at that meeting, the appointee would assume the seat and participate in the regular meeting that afternoon.
