School Board annual organization meeting held; Board chair and vice chair elected

The Hampton School Board held its annual organization meeting on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at Jones Magnet Middle School.

 

Newly reelected School Board members Joseph Kilgore, Dr. Richard Mason, and Jason Samuels were sworn in by The Honorable Christopher W. Hutton, Hampton Circuit Court Judge.

 

As a part of the procedural activities of the meeting, the School Board elects one of its members as chairman and one member as vice chairman. Dr. Richard Mason was elected to serve his second term as chair and Dr. Tina Banks-Gray was elected to serve her first term as vice chair. Mason is serving his first year of his second term on the School Board. Banks-Gray is presently serving her third year of her first term. Mason and Banks-Gray will serve in their respective roles until the next School Board organization meeting in January 2024. 

 

Mason, who was nominated by Joseph Kilgore, is an associate professor at Hampton University, a licensed professional counselor, and a certified clinical mental health counselor. He has a bachelors and masters degree from Hampton University, an Ed.S. from the College of William & Mary, and a Ph.D. from Regent University. 

“I am humbled and honored to receive the nomination by long term board member Joe Kilgore and the unanimous vote of confidence by my fellow board members to serve another term as chairman of this amazing board,” said Mason. “I look forward to continuing the great work we are doing here in the city of Hampton surrounding public education.”

 

Ann Cherry nominated Tina Banks-Gray for the position of vice-chair.

 

Banks-Gray is currently the Neighborhood Centers manager for the city of Hampton. She earned her BA in marketing management and MBA Project Management from Bellevue University and recently earned a Doctorate of Education with a concentration in leadership and administration from Bradley University.

“As stated by former vice chair Ann Cherry who nominated Dr. Banks-Gray for vice chair, Tina has been committed to serving the community long before her election to the School Board and has remained steadfast in her support for Hampton City Schools,” shared Mason. “As chair, I look forward to working with Dr. Banks-Gray as vice chair of the School Board as we lead the school division into its new season.”

 

In addition to electing the chair and vice chair, the Board set their meeting calendar through December 2023, and appointed Carolyn Bowers as clerk of the School Board and Sally Seidnitzer as deputy clerk. The Board took action on other items including the appointment of Kellie Goral as the Freedom of Information (FOIA) officer and the appointment of Deputy Superintendent Dr. John Caggiano as the superintendent’s designee to represent the superintendent in his absence. 

 

The Board also adopted the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) Code of Conduct for School Board Members. 

 

You may visit our website at http://www.hampton.k12.va.us to access the meeting.