001Okay. >> Hello everybody. Thank you for coming. Uh we'll now call the uh call to order the July 28th, 2025 special meeting for a public hearing. Uh first, let's all rise and say the pledge. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. I move to approve the agenda as presented. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I >> opposed. No. Okay. Agenda is approved. Um, thank you all for coming and uh I will now open the floor for the public hearing on the candidates for the Buck Marsh district. The candidates are there. We have three of them. Lindy Davenport, Audrey Grapes, and Mike Sight. Uh just as a reminder, audience comments
002uh are are requested to be limited to three minutes. Obviously, we're not going to throw the whip at you if you go over a little bit, but I do have Hey Mo, so try to keep it brief. Anyway, all right. Uh, with that, do we have our first person on the >> Yes, sir. Tony Reynolds. >> And if you would just state your name and and where you're from and who you're speaking. >> Tony Reynolds. I live in Barryville. Tonight, I would like to uh lend my support to Lindy Davenport. She's a very talented and accomplished individual and I think that she has the right skill set to fit in right skill set to fit in with the board of education and also I think that her closeness and generation to a lot of the
003students would be very beneficial. The uh world is changing so rapidly right now that uh institutions are a little slow in responding sometime but I think that the input that she can bring will be very beneficial to the decision- making going forward. Thank you. >> Thank you >> Mary. >> Okay that's fine. Moody. >> Good evening. My name is Alyssa Moody. I live in Channidoa Retreat. I am proud to endorse Lind Lindy Davenport for Clark County School Board. As a lifelong member of this community and a voice for the next generation, Lindy brings a powerful combination of fresh perspective and deep local roots. Her platform reflects a clear understanding of what today's students and educators need. Real world career readiness, strong mentorship for early career teachers, thoughtful integration of technology, and above all, a commitment
004to listening and learning from the community. As a local educator, I'm impressed by Lindy's dedication to understanding the school systems needs and to ensuring that teaching and learning in Clark County continues to increase in rigor and re relevance for every child. She's engaged and civic-minded, and we can always use more servant leaders in our community. Clark County deserves a school board member who understands both where we come from and where we're going. I unequivocally support Lindy. Thank you. >> Thank you. Why like an eye? >> Hi, my name is Mary Toka. Um, I am from Winchester, but I do work in Barryville. Um, and I'm here today to speak on behalf of my friend Lindy Davenport. Uh, Lindy is not your average school board candidate. Um, but that's because the National School Board Association says
005that the median age for a school board member is 59. That is about 41 years removed from the average high school graduate. Lindy as a professional understands that the world the students will be graduating into her perspective on the college process, the early job market, excuse me, the early career job market and the means of climbing the career ladder as a young professional make her uniquely situated to solve problem facing students and young teachers. Right now, Lindy is the same age as many young teachers and by being and by being so is closer to understanding their distinctive problems and situations as young professionals navigating their own careers. She understands that mentorship is important to young educators, like her own best friend, for example, who's a new teacher in Richmond. She's grown up in Clark County
006her entire life, lived her her whole life, working and learning from her community, a community that's shaped her into the person that she is today. Lindy sees the beauty and appreciates the value that Clark County has to offer and especially to its students. It's a place a young person cannot just grow up, but can stay. Lindy will engage with her community and listen. She is a problem solver. She's someone who takes great care in processing concerns, identifying problems, and working towards better. She's excited to serve her community in a new way as your next school board member. And I strongly urge you to choose her. Thank you, >> Joanne Spano. Hello, my name is Joanne Spano. I also live in the Shando Retreat and so I'm in the district that would be voting in in
007this uh opening. Uh I'm speaking for Lindy Davenport. I I've only known her for a few months, but I was very impressed with her and I especially like her her talking points about the mentoring for teachers. My background's in adult education. I have about almost 35 years experience in that. But when you're teaching adults and it's related to their job and maybe even moving up, they tend to show up and pay attention with kids. I don't know what I would tell a third grade teacher about control of the classroom and and motivating kids. And I think so I think that's a really good idea. I like that she's way more tech-savvy than I am and that um she can uh I I I think the generation that Lind Lindy's in and and being such a
008sharp person that she could help give people a vision of what they need for the future. What skill sets do you need? What what technological training do you need? What kind of communication skills do you need? And so I I think it's time that we give younger people a chance um to to have input into something like a school system. Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Jamesport. >> Hello. I'm James Davenport. I'm Lindy's brother and I know firsthand how much dedication she has for education. In fact, when I was, you know, a little boy, she always expressed her concern for um my educational practices. And she's really like why I am who I am today. Like she's the one who gave me that dedication. She was that role model for me. and
009she has that care and sheer dedication to basically just to make sure that everyone gets the education that they need. And while she doesn't fit your typical description of a school board member, she's what the school board needs. Like she has that different viewpoint. She has that edge and she has her new career experience that is fresh and that's applicable to what the kids that she'll be working to help will be really experiencing. That's part of what makes Lindy such a perfect candidate for this position is just that viewpoint that she has and that sheer dedication. And I thoroughly endorse Lindy. Shane Boswell. >> Gentlemen, Shane Boswell. Um, running for House of Delegates for HD31, but I'm also a Buck Marsh resident. Live right over on Meadow Brook. And I've looked at resumes for all
010three folks that are in front of you today. And I would hire Lindy Davenport in a heartbeat to come run projects for me, to come engage with customers for me, to come pull data and analyze it for me. How many of the candidates that you have in front of you know how to write a PowerSQL query? Those are the skills that the kids that are graduating today and tomorrow and three years from now are going to need to know. They're stepping into a workforce that has changed since I graduated high school in 2002. And honestly, a workforce that's changed since my oldest graduated two years ago. I've got two at DG right now. And I have no idea what sort of world they're going to be stepping into when they're 18, but I know that
011it's changing faster than I can keep up. And it's changing faster than many of us can keep up. And so finding someone who has their finger on the pulse of that change and has shown a lifelong commitment to learning and to growing as a professional and as an individual is incredibly important to me in a hire. And that's what this is, right? This is a hiring decision. So, I encourage you to take another look at the resumes and think about who you would want on the board that can do some of that heavy heavy lifting and data analysis. It's incredibly important that we lead our kids with datadriven solutions and not just gut feelings anymore. We can't sacrifice them on the altar of the way things used to be done. So, appreciate it, Jens. >>
012Thank you. Good evening and thank you to the board for the opportunity to speak. I'm Audrey Grapes for those of you who have not met me. When I sat down to write this, I honestly wasn't sure where to begin. I could rattle off a list of qualifications. And if that's what you're looking for, here's the quick version. Graduated from Clark County High School in 99. got my degree from Virginia Tech, taught at a Montasauri school, then in China. I run a small business, and for the last few years, I've been substitute teaching at DG But those facts, while helpful, don't tell you why I'm applying to represent Buck Marsh on the school board. My husband and I both changed schools a lot as kids. So, when it came time to raise our own family, we
013made a deliberate choice to put down roots here. Our kids, soon to be in seventh and third grade, are growing up in Clark County schools, and we want them to stay here through graduation. Like so many families, we've built friendships through sports, school events, and shared experience. We're invested in this community, not just socially, but emotionally. So, now you'll know a little bit about my who and why. As for the how, I'll get a little more personal. This is an area where I feel a little bit awkward. If it were a dating group profile, I might mention long walks on the beach. If you're familiar with the MyersBriggs type person, excuse me, MyersBriggs type indicator, I'm an INFJ. I'm an idealist who believes in action. I'm a little introverted and not what the kids would
014call rzy, but I'm strongly empathetic. I care deeply about people and how we work together. I am a system builder and a problem solver. I have my beliefs and philosophies, but more than anything, I believe in making people feel seen and heard. So, putting all this together, I hope I've conveyed that I take the work of the school board seriously, even if I don't always take myself too seriously. I'd be honored to serve as the Buck Marsh representative and to work alongside you and strengthening the schools that are the heart of our community. As a parent, a teacher, and a neighbor, I want Clark County schools to be the places that encourage and curiosity, inspire learning, and empower students for the real world. Schools that feel welcoming, supportive, and forward look forward thinking. Whether I'm
015chosen or not, I will continue to advocate as a parent, a teacher, and a proud Clark County resident. Thanks again for your time and for the work you do to support Clark County students. Good evening. I'm Kay Briggs. Um, been in Clark County for 15 years. My horses have been here 19 years. I say that because I've known Lindy for a long time. Uh, much of that time because I've seen her do everything in Clark County from working uh, entry level jobs to breaking and training horses. And she's good and I like that. But she also is very professional. I saw her go through college. Um uh she she's very serious. Uh but uh what can I say? She's she speaks multiple languages. She looks at the world the issues today. Um I had to
016laugh when I hear everybody else talking about actually they they said things much better about the uh the computer languages that she knows. And and my first thought today when I was going to talk here was that Lindy can do more than just some numbers on an Excel spreadsheet. She's um I don't think many people know this and I think she does tend to keep this low profile. She is in a position where she works very closely with the United States government and she is in a position of national trust. I think that says a lot for her abilities that she has been cleared in those areas. I also realized that at 72 years old, not Lindy, that's me, that life's passing us by now and it really is time to bring in that next
017generation. I look at her and her abilities and I'm thinking, she's it. I spoke to her a few years ago and I said, "Why don't you go to DC? You're young. Go to DC. You'll love it." I don't want to go to DC. Clark County is my home. She loves it here. She's going to stay here. She was raised in this area. She'll probably die here. But this is a person that will give us a lifelong experience in Clark. I really like this kid. And she's not a kid, but when you're 72, just about all of y'all are kids to me. Anyway, appreciate it. >> Okay. Is there anybody else that uh would like to speak? Okay. Well, then uh with that uh certainly thank everybody for coming. Um, just so you know that the
018three candidates uh interviewed with the board last week and now we have had the public hearing and then the the board will hold a special meeting next Monday, August 4th uh to uh to to name the uh the successor to the Buck Mar Buck Marsh district. So that'll be next Monday. Uh again thank you all for coming and hearing none no other comments we will adjourn the meeting. >> Thank you guys. Thank you.