The trustees voted to advance three of the seven applicants for the District E seat to the next stage. The City of Reno’s director of parking and code enforcement, Alex Woodley, was the highest vote-getter, followed by Nevada Department of Wildlife executive assistant and district substitute teacher Meghan Beyer and local charter school librarian Kellie Crosby-Sturtz.
In his presentation to the board, Woodley spoke about his upbringing as a public school student, his work experiences, and his goals for the district.
“I believe I can help to ensure that no kid is left behind. I want to continue representing vulnerable members of our community,” Woodley said. “Our kids deserve quality education in a safe environment without any distractions so they can learn.”
Trustees and candidates touched on a number of issues facing the district during the meeting, including hiring and supporting teachers and staff, increasing the resources available to students, and prioritizing school safety.
Former Republican gubernatorial candidate Joey Gilbert did not move on to the interview round despite local GOP donor Robert Beadles’ threat to sue individual trustees for not voting for Gilbert, who he viewed as the most qualified candidate.
The board will interview the remaining three candidates at a December 6 special meeting and select one to fill the seat.
Jose Davila IV is a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.
The images included in this story are screenshots from the Washoe County School District’s livestreamed board of trustees meeting on November 22, 2022. Click here to view the recorded video on YouTube.
