Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education to swear in 5 new members

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – Five new board members will be sworn in during Tuesday night’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education meeting.

The five new board members for North Carolina’s second-largest school district call themselves the “fresh five.” Gregory “Dee” Rankin, who will be taking the seat in District 3, says they’re ready to hit the ground running.

The board of education race was last month and saw the departure of several incumbents. New to the board are:

• Melissa Easley - District 1
• Gregory “Dee” Rankin – District 3
• Stephanie Sneed - District 4
• Lisa Cline - District 5
• Summer Nunn - District 6

Thelma Byers-Bailey was up for re-election in District 2 and she won the seat for the third time. She also serves as vice chair.

The board is comprised of nine members - six district representatives, a board chair and vice chair, and two at-large members.

It sounds like 10 members, but Byers-Bailey serves in both District 2 and as vice chair. Together, they make decisions that impact all schools within CMS.

“We’ve already kind of worked together so far, just getting started with onboarding,” Rankin said. “We’re already working together collaboratively as a team, but I think it’s important for the five of us to work together, but it’s even more important for the nine of us to work together. We have a ‘fresh five’ but we also have, I would say, a ‘magnificent nine.’ I think we’re going to try and work together and accomplish what’s best for the students and families of CMS.”

One of those decisions will be filling the open superintendent position, something the board hopes to do by the summer.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the board will get an in-depth look at what the community wants to see in the next superintendent.

Charlotte-based consulting firm Civility Localized has been putting out surveys and doing focus groups to find out what the public wants in a superintendent.

The board needs to fill the interim position left by Hugh Hattabaugh while searching for a permanent superintendent.

Related: ‘We need stability’: CMS parents weigh in on surprise resignation from interim superintendent

They must also elect a board chair and vice chair. Later in the year, the board will discuss the multi-million-dollar school bond plan and redrawing district maps.

“The overall goal of the board first is to find a new interim, of course,” Rankin said. “Then, identify a candidate for our next superintendent that’s willing to be here and be committed here for a long time and to buy into CMS. Those are the two main things. From there, we’re going to always focus on student outcomes, making sure everyone receives a quality education but also being equity centered.”

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Those who can’t make it can watch it via livestream.

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