Elkin school board member steps down

One of Elkin’s newest school board members tendered his resignation during the board’s Monday meeting.

During the public comment portion of Elkin City Schools Board of Education meeting, Johnny Blevins submitted his resignation — but there is no controversy in the move. Blevins, who was elected to the board in 2022, is leaving due to an upcoming move outside the school district.

“I do thank you for the opportunity to serve. It’s been my honor and privilege,” Blevins said. “I wish the school system well. My children were raised in it. My wife taught in it. I love the people of Elkin, the people of the school system.”

As the school boards throughout Surry County are now partisan boards, selecting a replacement for Blevins, a Republican, will be up to the Surry County Republican Party.

School Board Chairman Richard Brinegar said Tuesday morning that he has spoken with the Republican Chairman Keith Senter to set that process in motion. Brinegar said the GOP executive committee will have 30 days to submit a nomination to the school board for the open seat. The board will then vote on the nomination. Brinegar said he did believe the board could discuss with the GOP to suggest possible candidates to fill the seat for the remainder of Blevins’ term which is slated to end in 2026.

The 2022 Elkin City Schools Board of Education election was the first to be a partisan race, a decision made by the all-Republican Surry County Board of Commissioners at the behest of the local Republican Party, and approved by the state legislature in 2019. Neighboring counties in the region--Wilkes and Yadkin school boards, remain non-partisan. According to reporting from The Daily Tar Heel, more than 50 school boards state-wide have made the move to partisan elections. The Surry County GOP claimed at the time its leaders wanted partisan elections to give what they called more transparency to the races.

Brinegar will be up for re-election in November. He claimed a victory in the GOP Primary in March against fellow Republican Jill Bellia, which will leave him running unopposed in November for a city district seat. Longtime educator and School Board member Larry Wagoner, who holds the East District seat, did not run for re-election, his term ends this year. Republican Haley McCoin Sullivan ran unopposed in the GOP Primary for the East District seat and will be on the November ballot.

Students, staff honored

Several students and teachers were recognized during Monday’s school board meeting for various accomplishments. Members of the Hunter Safety Team were honored for their recent wins in competition. Elkin High School Principal Amanda Burton praised the team and gave special recognition to the parents who help with the team as well.

Dr. Emily Rycroft, principal of Elkin Elementary School, shared news of her staff members who recently completed a two-year long literacy professional development training program aimed at improving literacy skills for students through a program called the Science of Reading.

Rycroft called it a “massive undertaking” for staff, who received no additional compensation for completing the program, which she compared to being essentially a master’s degree in literacy.

Rycroft called it “amazing” and thanked the board for its support of the program and allowing for some scheduling changes for professional development days. On April 29 the teachers who completed the program were celebrated with a special luncheon. Rycroft said numerous community members and businesses helped support the celebration.

Also honored at Monday’s meeting was Elkin High School Band Director James Robinson who has been selected as a quarter finalist in the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum’s 2025 Music Educator Awards.