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Vicki Leak, District 5 school board member, was voted to take on the mantle of board president at the Chambers County School board meeting on Thursday night. She is preceded by District 1 board member Jeffery Finch, who served as president for the past several years. 

Finch is the longest-serving board member on the Chambers County School Board, having initially been elected in 2006. In his 18 years on the board, he has achieved a Masters level endorsement. 

Last year, he was one of five selected statewide for the honor of being named AASB All State School Board Member. During the meeting, the school board honored Finch with an engraved nameplate manufactured by the students at Inspire Academy Manufacturing lab. 

In the coming year, Reco Newton, who recently won the district 1 race, will take up the board seat in place of Finch. 

During the meeting, outgoing Superintendent Casey Chambley shared some thoughts on his time serving with Finch.

“Mister Finch has been a great mentor to me, he’s been a great sounding board, keeping me on track with things and keeping me focused about where we needed to go,” Chambley said. “And when I got here, he was emphatic about what he wanted to do and what he wanted to see done in his tenure.”

Chambley added that, “the county is going to miss Mr. Finch and his leadership and his knowledge, what he knows and who he knows on school boards and his school board knowledge.”

Finch himself shared some thoughts about his time on the board, thanking the board. 

“I enjoyed working with you. I enjoyed working for, number one, the students of Chambers County School District. That’s what it’s all about, regardless of all of the other stuff,” Finch said. 

Finch also gave advice to Leak as she takes on the role of board president. 

“You being the president, no matter what no one says, you and the superintendent elect has to have a good working relationship, no matter what the other board members say,” He said, adding that good partnership is the best way to accomplish things for the school district.

Of Chambley, he said, “He did an outstanding job. I literally had to call him at night to get him to go home. He did something. I worked with three different superintendents. I never worked with one that did what he did. And I appreciate you. That was amazing.”