The Fauquier County School Board elected Jay VanGelder as its new chairman Monday night to replace Bronwyn H. Lambelet, who died of a heart attack Christmas day.
The board also voted to petition the Fauquier County Circuit Court to call a special election in November to elect a new Marshall District representative to serve the remainder of Lambelet's term, which expires in 2007.
JAY VANGELDER
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The meeting opened with a moment of silence in honor of Lambelet, 53, a community leader known as Broni.
"I miss her now, and I will miss her," said board member Robert L. Sinclair (Scott), who taught history to several of Lambelet's five children. Sinclair also worked alongside her at Learning Tree Farms, a 2,000-acre farm and student field trip destination near Delaplane for which Lambelet had been the director of marketing and administration.
"Every single one of us can be replaced on the board," said board member Sally Murray (Center). "But you can't replace a mother."
VanGelder (Cedar Run), 48, a sergeant with the Prince William County Police Department, was chosen by a voice vote. He has been a board member since 2003.
Sinclair was elected vice chairman, replacing Ernest L. Gray Jr. (Lee).
VanGelder said the board would search for an interim replacement to represent the Marshall District until the November election.
He said he hoped someone would be chosenwho has long-term ties to the school district and is willing to commit the time required of a board member. He said he expected the representative to be named in a closed session this month.
VanGelder said that as chairman, his priority would be to educate county residents about the $40 million school bond referendum to build a third high school in the county. He said he planned to conduct a series of informational meetings before the vote, which is scheduled for March.
VanGelder also said he hoped to advance the project to convert Claude Thompson Elementary School in Marshall from a kindergarten/first-grade facility to a full elementary school and to raise teacher salaries to make them more in line with those of other Northern Virginia counties.
"We really need to increase our salary base to attract and retain the quality of teaching staff we have," VanGelder said. "This year's budget, I'm hoping, would be more readily accessible for salary increases."
