School board members voted to appoint Travis Jackson to the vacant Zone 5 position during Thursday's meeting.
The Zone 5 board position was left empty after Brent Butler announced his resignation last month. Butler, who served as a board member since 2000, explained that he and his wife were moving outside the district.
The school board had 30 days to appoint a new member after Butler's resignation. Jackson was one of four candidates that submitted letters of interest. Other candidates for the position were Kyle Ireland, Bobby Reed and Don Wleklinski.
School board members considered the four applicants during an executive session. All four applicants were very qualified and at least two of them have family members who work in the district, said board member Roger Holroyd.
"Really, any of the four would do a great job," he said. "I want to publicly thank the folks that put their hat in the ring. We need good people on the school board. It was nice to have four really good candidates to choose from."
Jackson first came to Siloam Springs in the fall of 1987 to attend John Brown University, according to his letter of interest. He and his wife Monica Jackson, a first-grade teacher at Allen Elementary School, made Siloam Springs their home after they married in 1992.
Currently, Jackson is working as the associate creative director for Saatchi & Saatchi, according to his resume. Previously, he worked as a retail creative director for The Walt Disney Company and as a graphic designer for companies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, J.V. Manufacturing Inc., and DaySpring Cards. Jackson also has experience working as the athletic director for the Siloam Springs Parks and Recreation Department from 1992 to 1996, according to his resume.
Jackson wrote that he and his wife have three children whose lives have been shaped by growing up in Siloam Springs.
"Our family has a heart for this city, a love for our public-school system, and a commitment to help build a bright future for the youth of our community," Jackson wrote.
Jackson will be required to run for election in the next school board election in May 2019. The person who wins the May 2019 election will be required to run again the following year, when the Zone 5 school board term is up in 2020.
The five school board members serve rotating five-year terms, so that one comes up for election each year.
General News on 08/12/2018