Leon County School Board welcomes two new members, reiterates commitment to service
The Leon County School Board has welcomed two new members to the dais.
Laurie Cox and Marcus Nicolas, both former educators, were sworn into office at the Aquilina Howell Center at the start of Tuesday's school board meeting.
"I never dreamed I would be doing this a year ago," said Cox, who won her District 4 seat in a run off against Alex Stemle this November.
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Both Cox and Nicolas are former educators. Cox spent more than 30 years as a physical education teacher, and Nicolas has worked in education for 14 years.
The newest members of the board brought their families to the lectern as they laid their hands on their family Bibles and swore to uphold the law.
In a short speech, Nicolas, who ran unopposed, promised to find more ways to engage students and families in District 5 and throughout the county.
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"I do want to be crystal clear that I am and I always will be unapologetic in my priorities in advocating for those engagement opportunities that target boys who look like me in Leon County Schools," he said.
Nicolas replaced Joy Bowen, who served on the school board for more than 22 years.
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Cox, who was sworn in by her brother, former Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson, said there was never a day in her 36-year career as a teacher that she didn't love going to work.
"It's such an honor to serve, and I'm very honored to be here," she said.
Returning school board members
Alva Striplin returned for her third term on the school board and was named chair of the board for the upcoming year. She is currently the longest-serving board member on the dais.
Striplin, who represents District 1, was sworn in by Leon County Judge Nina Ashenafi Richardson, the wife of city commissioner Curtis Richardson.
Striplin said she is happy with the two new members of the board, regardless of their political differences.
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"We're a collegial body," she said. "We don't always agree and we shouldn't, and sometimes we snap at each other and we don't mean to. But this board, we walk out of this room shaking hands and committed to the service of our students in Leon County Schools and to our teachers."
Darryl Jones, who was sworn in for his second term as the representative for District 3, invited Leon County Schools students to the lectern with him as he took his oath.
In his speech, Jones thanked his many friends and family for their support and said he was proud to serve in "undoubtedly the best community in the country."
Superintendent Rocky Hanna agreed and said he wouldn't live anywhere else.
"We're going to be professional, we're going to be collegial, and at the end of the day we're going to do the right thing," he said. "And I'm honored to be a part of it."
Contact Ana Goñi-Lessan at AGoniLessan@tallahassee.com and follow her on Twitter @goni_lessan.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Leon County School Board welcomes Laurie Cox, Marcus Nicolas
