School board re-elects Ipock chairman

Four re-elected members of the Craven County Board of Education were sworn in together this week  to new four-year terms.

The group - Carr Ipock, Linda Thomas, Becky Kafer, and Joseph Walton -brings a total of 54 years of service and experience back to the board. 

"We all put a hand on the Bible and raised our right hands together," said Ipock, who began his fifth term and was quickly re-elected to an eighth two-year term as chairman of the board along with Thomas as vice chairman.

"We did that to demonstrate unity of purpose and direction," Ipock said. "We don't always think alike. I think we bring different perspectives to the board. But we are all working for the same thing, a better education for the young people of Craven County."

The board members serve with Bea Smith, Frances Boomer, and Kim Smith whose terms end in two years.

 Ipock said the school system's stated goal to "be the highest-performing system of public education in North Carolina" is one the members take seriously and work at constantly.

"State law requires that we take 12 hours of continuing education each year," said Ipock, who studied personnel law and finance this year. He said those are things he needs to know as a school board member.

Ipock said there are many challenges facing the school system and board over the next four years and "the top issue on all of our minds are those things related to drop-outs and drop-out prevention. We recognize it starts much earlier than high school in a path pretty much set in middle school."