More than 500 traditional school districts stretch across Oklahoma from Boise City to Broken Bow. There are more than two dozen charter schools, five virtual schools and dozens more private schools. All require governance.
That’s the job of a board of education, and there are 2,700 school board members, according to information supplied by the Oklahoma State School Boards Association. January is designated as School Board Recognition Month.
It’s an annual salute to this group of volunteers who each pledge considerable time to shape the present and future educational paths for students. There is no pay, and periodic continuing education is required in order to continue serving.
Each must also campaign for a position as a school board member, which often requires personal expense for travel, yard signs and advertisements.
Canadian Valley Technology Center is among public institutions governed by a school board. Three men and two women represent five equal voting zones across CV Tech’s 1,500-square-mile district area, from Piedmont south to Rush Springs and Bethany west to Calumet.
Jimmie Vickrey, a Minco farmer and rancher, is CV Tech’s longest serving board member. He started in 2004 and the current board president. Travis Posey, vice president of Business Development at HSI Sensing of Chickasha, joined the board in 2015. Christy Stanley, a Yukon Real Estate professional, followed in 2016, and both Penny Jones, a Mustang homemaker, and Dean Riddell, a mortgage lender from Yukon, joined in 2018.
