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Montgomery County School Board elects Laura Purcell chair; Derek Rountree named vice chair
Summary
At its organizational meeting, the Montgomery County School Board elected Laura Purcell chair and Derek Rountree vice chair in separate roll-call votes. The board also appointed clerks and approved committee liaison assignments for 2026.
Laura Purcell was elected chair of the Montgomery County School Board on Jan. 13, winning a roll-call vote after a nomination that highlighted her year as vice chair and participation in Virginia School Boards Association training. The board then elected Dr. Derek Rountree vice chair.
The nominations came during the board's organizational segment. A member who nominated Purcell cited her experience onboarding a superintendent and plans to initiate a strategic plan for the district. After nominations closed, the board voted on Purcell's nomination; the roll call produced four votes in favor and three opposed, and the chair's election passed.
Board members then nominated Dr. Derek Rountree for vice chair. Members who spoke in favor noted the time commitment required for leadership and expressed confidence in Rountree's willingness to take on the role. The nomination was approved by roll call, with the board noting the need for leaders who can represent the division in external meetings.
As part of organizational business the board approved appointments for clerk and deputy clerk: Tasha Osborne was appointed clerk and Rhonda Reed appointed deputy clerk. The board also adopted a resolution affirming officers for 2026 that listed Purcell as chair and Rountree as vice chair; that resolution passed on a roll call vote reflecting divided sentiment among members.
Chair Purcell thanked members for the confidence and accepted the responsibilities of leading the seven-member board into a year that includes onboarding a new superintendent and advancing a strategic plan. The board also announced committee liaison assignments and volunteers for VSBA delegate roles and town/county liaisons.
The meeting moved on after the organizational votes to recognition items and the evening's scheduled presentations. The next regular meeting is set for Jan. 20.
