WS Chronicle

By Tevin Stinson

The Chronicle

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education has named Lida Calvert-Hayes the person to replace Jeannie Metcalf, who stepped down during a meeting last month after 21 years on the board.

The board called a special meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20, to select a new member to fill the vacant position.

The new member will add to a board that has a number of new members. Last December the board held an orientation to welcome six new members to the board.

After originally releasing eight names ahead of the interviews, the school board announced they had narrowed the finalists down to four.

When all the candidates had been interviewed on Oct. 20, the members of the board voted by writing their choice on a piece of paper. After a short discussion and two rounds of voting, the board decided on Lida Calvert-Hayes.

Calvert-Hayes is the president and CEO of S&L Painting and Decorating. Calvert-Hayes has served on a number of boards in city. In 2013, she ran for City Council but was unsuccessful.

In her application, the single mother of three listed her top three priorities if selected to the board would be; increasing the low reading rates, safety for students at all levels and a higher graduation rate for all students.

During the brief discussion, school board member Robert Barr said the fact that Calvert-Hayes raised three children by herself says a lot about the kind of person she is.

“Being a single mother of three says a lot,” said Barr. “She also brings a lot of knowledge about construction and other things that could be very helpful to the board.”

Calvert-Hayes will be sworn in on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Board by-laws state that the remaining eight school board members choose the person to fill vacancies between elections. The by-laws also require that the new member be the same political party as the member who vacated the seat. Metcalf is a registered Republican.

Since Metcalf filled the seat for District 2, the board decided that the new board member should also live in District 2, to keep balance on the board.

Besides Calvert-Hayes, the other three finalists were Michelle Craun, Jay Davenport and Tina Heelan. All four were interviewed in public.

During the interviews, each candidate was called one at a time and asked a series of questions about why he or she applied for the position, what he or she would bring to the board, and if their schedules would allow them to give the effort to the board that it deserves.

Candidates were also asked questions about the budget and how they would balance the needs of everyone affected by the board’s decisions.

Craun is a volunteer at Jefferson Middle School and PTA president at Vienna Elementary. Craun said she cares deeply about the future of the school district because her children are students in the district.

“Both my children currently attend public school in the district. I care deeply about the future of the school district and how the district can best serve the needs of our students and families,” she said.

Davenport is an associate vice president and campaign director at Wake Forest University. Davenport has a master’s of higher education administration degree from Ball State University.

In a letter addressed to Ali Tomberlin, general counsel for the school system, Davenport said his educational background would make him an ideal candidate for the school board.

“I believe my community service educational background and professional experience make me an ideal candidate for the board,” said Davenport. “I believe my talents and drive would be a valuable addition to the school board and administration of our district.”

Heelan is a business owner as well. In 2013, she founded Winthorp LLC, a realty company in the area. In the past, Heelan has served as a teacher and principal at public schools.

“I have served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal for the district,” said Heelan. “I can offer perspectives that not just anyone can bring to the board.”