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JACKSON – Northampton County’s Board of Education is currently seeking a person to fill the vacant seat on the board.

Lucy Edwards, who had been serving as the Board Chair, passed away unexpectedly in April. She had a 42-year educational career which spanned multiple roles, including working as a teacher, a principal, and a central office director in Northampton County Schools as well as in other surrounding districts. She was a member of the National School Board Association and the North Carolina School Board Association. At the time of her passing, she had been serving on the NC School Board Association’s Past Presidents’ Council.

Edwards was first elected to the Northampton County Board of Education in 2014, and was reelected to subsequent terms, most recently in 2022. In 2023, Edwards was chosen by her fellow board members to serve as Chair.

Since Edwards’ passing, Vice Chair Theresa Cade has facilitated BOE meetings. At their meeting on Monday, June 17, the board unanimously selected Barbara Stephenson to take up the role as Board Chair.

Now the board must find someone to serve out the rest of Edwards’ four-year term, which ends on June 30, 2026.

People who would like to serve on the board are asked to send a letter of interest. The letter should include the reason for the candidate’s interest in serving on the board; an explanation of the candidate’s qualifications; potential contributions and assets that the candidate would bring to the board; the candidate’s vision for Northampton County Schools; and contact information (phone number, email, address).

The deadline for submissions is 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17.

Every part of the process to fill the vacant board seat must be conducted in open session.

Once letters are submitted, they will be reviewed by the board and candidates will be selected for interviews. Following interviews, the board will vote to select the candidate to fill the vacancy.

For more information, visit www.northampton.k12.nc.us or the Northampton County Schools’ Central Office, 701 N. Church Street, Jackson.

Northampton’s School Board previously went through this same process in 2021 after the unexpected passing of board member Josephine Tyner Dunn. It took several months for the board to agree on a candidate.