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By Robert Holt
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As I listened to the speakers at the Feb. 27 Franklin School Board meeting, I recalled a conversation I had last spring with interim city manager Darlene Burcham.  I had called to remind her that our board would have four of the seven board seats available effective July 1, 2024. I mentioned the city council’s past practice was to announce a date prospective candidates could be nominated by someone or by themselves. That nomination meeting of the city council was crucial if citizens were interested in serving.

A few days later, she called to ask what I thought of having a period of time citizens could apply rather than just be nominated.  I loved the idea and suggested she take her idea to the city council for its approval; she did and it was approved for implementation.

The four open seats last spring were Ward 4, Ward 5, Ward 6, and At-Large, an important seat because residents in the city qualify rather than being restricted to living in a particular Ward.  A few days after the deadline, I called Ms. Burcham and she said they only had 5 or 6 applicants but at least one for each open seat.

The school board membership as of the Feb. 27, 2025, meeting included Ward 4 and Ward 6 representatives who were reappointed effective July 1, 2024, and new members who started July 1, 2024, for Ward 5 and At-Large.

One of the speakers mentioned a petition for an elected school board. That decision will depend on a city election item, but whether elected or appointed, board members must be able to understand SOL importance, budgeting and funding sources, teacher preparation and recruitment, classroom management, special education regulations, personnel procedures, as well as vaping and cellphone abuse.

The bottom line is this — there are opportunities to serve on the school board when seats are available.  Step up to a role that directly supports our students, teachers, parents, and community.  But know that it will take many hours of preparation and participation.

ROBERT N. “BOB” HOLT, a Franklin native, is a retired professor of business management and real estate at Southwestern Community College in Sylva, N.C. He holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral studies degrees from Virginia Tech and was a member of the university’s Corps of Cadets. His e-mail address is hrobert@vt.edu.