Two Interim Members of the Cannon County Board of Education have been appointed by the Cannon County Commission on Thursday Evening, September 3rd, 2020. Appointed as the District 2 School Board Member is Mrs. Jennifer Duggin and District 5 School Board Member is Mrs. Aletha Thomas.
The 2nd District School Board Member seat became vacant when Member Travis Turney, who was elected to the Cannon County Board of Education in August 2018 and was in the middle of his first term submitted his notice of resignation to Chairman Javin Fann and Director of Schools – William F. Curtis on August 14th, 2020.
Mrs. Jennifer Duggin is married to Wade Duggin and lives in the Auburntown community. Wade and Jennifer have 3 boys, Jacob (Brittany) Duggin, Will (Brooke) Bailey and Austin Duggin. They have three granddaughters, two of which attend Auburn Elementary School in Auburntown, TN. Jennifer attended Woodbury Grammar and is a 1992 graduate of Cannon County High School. She joined the military in 1991 and serves on Active Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard in Nashville, TN.
The 5th District School Board Member seat became vacant when Member Brian Elrod, who was also elected to the Cannon County Board of Education in August 2018 and was in the middle of his term recently moved out of District 5. Mr. Elrod submitted his notice of resignation to Chairman Fann and Director Curtis also on August 14th, 2020.
Mrs. Aletha Thomas is a native of Smith County, but has been a part of the Cannon County community since 2008. She has been married to Dr. Michael Thomas just shy of twenty years. Together they are the proud parents of Jackson, Nancy Caroline, and Sadie. Mrs. Thomas considers these three her greatest blessings and grandest adventures. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Ecology from Tennessee Tech University. Before becoming a full time stay at home mother, she was a Family and Consumer Sciences educator, teaching in Wilson County Schools, Gasconade R-II Schools in Missouri, and on the Dutch island of Saba in the Caribbean. Three years ago she accepted a position at Watertown High School where she originally began her career and continues there presently where she is the In School Suspension Coordinator. She also coaches cross country and tennis.
One of Mrs. Thomas’ greatest joys is giving back to the communities to which she belongs. She and Dr. Thomas have been instrumental in a twenty year mission work in the Caribbean on Saba, the island on which they lived for two years. Locally in Cannon County, Mrs. Thomas serves as the president for Cannon County Youth Dream, the non-profit organization that oversees and carries out the annual back to school initiative, We Care Cannon.
Director of Cannon County Schools, Mr. William F. Curtis, stated, “We are appreciative that these two outstanding individuals have been appointed by the Cannon County Commission and have qualified, or in the process of qualifying, to run on the November 3rd, 2020 Ballot. Both individuals have committed themselves to achieve our MISSION – to ‘Prepare All Students for Their Future’ through our VISION – ‘E3 – Engaged in Excellence Every Day!’ We know that they will work diligently on behalf of all our Cannon County Schools’ Students, Educators, and Staffs in their service as Interim School Board Members.”
The Cannon County Commission acted on these vacancies of the Cannon County Board of Education District 2 position and District 5 position at the regular monthly meeting of the Cannon County Commission on Thursday, September 3rd, 2020 – 5:30 PM at the Cannon County Courthouse. Both Mrs. Duggin and Mrs. Thomas demonstrated interest in filling these Interim School Board Member positions and live in District 2 or District 5. They each discussed their interest with their respective County Commissioner. District 2 Commissioner Karen Ashford nominated Mrs. Jennifer Duggin with strong encouragement from fellow District 2 Commissioner Corey Davenport. The full Cannon County Commission voted 8-0 (Commissioner Brent Brandon was absent and District 5 Commissioner seat remains vacant.) for Mrs. Duggin. District 5 Commissioner Ronnie Mahaffey nominated Mrs. Aletha Thomas for the District 5 vacancy. The full Commission then voted again 8-0 for Mrs. Thomas. Those individuals will be sworn in by County Clerk Lana Jones and will serve until the Special Election is held on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020 and the election is certified and new members sworn in.
The following process will take place regarding the election of members to fulfill the remaining two years of the terms for the District 2 seat and District 5 seat on the Cannon County Board of Education; Interested candidates should come by the Election Commission Office, 301 W Main Street – Room #244, Woodbury, TN 37190, bring a copy of their High School Diploma, and pick up a petition. The petition must be signed by 25 Registered Voters in the respective District. The petition must be returned by NOON on September 9th, 2020 to be eligible for their names to be placed on the Special Election Ballot for the November 3rd, 2020 Election. New elected members will take office after the election is certified and swearing in takes place.
The Cannon County Board of Education now consists of four (4) new members:
Mr. Wade McMackins – 1st District; Mrs. Jennifer Duggin – 2nd District; Mr. Derrick Mullins – 3rd District; and Mrs. Aletha Thomas – 5th District. Former Chairman Javin Fann- 4th District is the only returning School Board Member for this 2020-2022 Term of the Cannon County Board of Education.
Officers of the Cannon County Board of Education consisting of Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Chairman Pro Tem for 2020-2021 School Year will be elected at the September 10th, 2020 – 6:30 PM Meeting of the Board at the Woodbury Grammar School Cafeteria.