New leaders for Portsmouth School Board
PORTSMOUTH — A youth pastor who leads a Head Start program will be the new chairman of the Portsmouth School Board.
Rev. Cardell Patillo, the only one nominated for the job, was picked by fellow board members in a 7-1 vote Thursday. For the past year, he has served as the board’s vice chairman.
Lakeesha “Klu” Atkinson was chosen to be the board’s new vice chairwoman by the same 7-1 margin. Atkinson, a licensed insurance agent and community activist, becomes the first openly LGBTQ member to hold a leadership position in the city.
Claude Parent, the board’s chairman for the past five years, nominated Patillo.
“Thank you everyone for your vote of confidence,” Patillo said after the vote.
Sarah Duncan Hinds, one of the longest-serving members of the board, vote no on both. She said in an email Friday that she voted no because neither had reached out to her about their interest.
“Nothing more, nothing less,” Hinds wrote, adding “I am excited to see how this new, younger leadership can make a difference.”
Patillo and Atkinson are more than three decades younger than Parent, 76. Patillo is 42, Atkinson 38.
The board also discussed its plans to appoint someone to fill the vacancy created by former member De’Andre Barnes’ election to the City Council.
The new appointee will serve until a special election Nov. 2.
Ten people applied for the position.
Board members will each rank the candidates and the three ranked highest by the most will be interviewed publicly in a special meeting on Jan. 19.
The board’s plan is to pick a new member that night so they can be sworn in and participate during the board’s regular monthly meeting on Jan. 21.