Special needs advocate and mom Jennifer Aprea (1,932) reigns as victor of the 5th District seat on the Williamson County Board of Education, according to unofficial results by the Williamson County Election Office.
The seat was vacated by Gary Anderson, 30-year school board member, who retires this summer.
Aprea led the race over educator Margie Johnson (1,663), while Nolensville native Brian Snyder lagged behind with 967 votes.
Only two seats on the WCBOE faced opposition in the election of six odd-numbered seats on the 12-member board.
Incumbent Eliot Mitchell (1,081), 3rd District, reclaimed his seat against challenger Jennifer Moss (883), going head-to-head throughout the race.
"I am humbled by the confidence that the Spring Hill community has in me. I pledge to do my best," he said on Thursday night.
Aprea, a mother of two children with special needs, said she is ready to advocate for families as a new addition to the school board.
She said she is now "breathing a sigh of relief" after a campaign that has been primarily fought on social media due to COVID-19. She said she reached constituents through Facebook, a website, flyers on mailboxes and the old-fashioned word of mouth.
"I am really excited and hopeful and ready to work with the board to get things done," Aprea said after the win.
On election day, she made a stop at every polling location in the 5th District. By lunchtime, she met up with supporters at the Brentwood Library, which lies on the edge of the largest school board district, which covers 11 schools across Nolensville, Arrington, east Brentwood and College Grove.
Aprea is director of family engagement and special education with The Arc Tennessee and parent to a special needs son, who was born 25 weeks premature. She said she believes parents with children with special needs should have a voice on the board.
She also served on the Parent Special Education Advisory Council when the district was devising its reopening plans amid COVID-19.
More: Three candidates vie for vacated 5th District seat on Williamson school board
More: Incumbent faces opposition for 3rd District Williamson school board seat
More: Meet Williamson County school board candidates
"Many special education parents are frustrated about what a clear plan is," Aprea said. "It's hard for (all) parents not to be getting consistent communication (during reopening plans). I hope we can figure that out now."
WCS campuses are open to students with individualized education plans (IEPS), who cannot receive services at home.
Over the course of a few weeks, parents have praised and criticized the school district's reopening plan, but Aprea hopes that common ground can be found.
"Everyone's goal is to have children in school," she said. "We just need to come together as a community and figure out what that common ground is."
3rd District incumbent wins over newcomer
Mitchell, claiming his second term in the 3rd District, stood on a familiar spot waving to voters as they drove by at Longview Recreation Center in Spring Hill on Thursday.
A native Tennessean, Mitchell has lived in the Spring Hill community for 27 years. His children attended Williamson County Schools, and he understands that schools are central to the community.
"I consider my roots here deep," he said. "What's unique about this community is that you are never a new person for more than a day."
Spring Hill is ranked as the second fastest-growing city in the state, as new developments pop up on the sprawling green landscape from month to month. Like other parts of the county, many families move to Spring Hill because of high-achieving Williamson County schools.
"This community is made up of families with children," Mitchell said. "They love their schools. We have tons of volunteers and a lot of energy and excitement for our schools."
Just down the street from where Mitchell stood, Chapman's Retreat Elementary announced that it would cancel on-campus school for first and second graders on Friday, the first day of school, due to a confirmed case of COVID-19 among its front office staff. Instead the whole school will participate in remote learning until Aug. 17.
More: Williamson County elementary school delays on-campus classes after COVID-19 case on staff
Mitchell said it's hard on the district to make those tough decisions, but he said it's part of conducting schools during a pandemic.
"The district decided that we just aren't able to have school without the front office staff, especially on the first day of school," he said.
"It's the adults getting sick that will be our biggest challenge running schools during a pandemic."
Mitchell said the most pressing issue for the 2020-21 school year is managing the pandemic.
"Our main focus is on the safety of children and the adults who teach them," he said.
Incumbents running unopposed include Angela Durham, 1st District; Sheila Cleveland, 7th District; Rick Wimberly, 9th District; and KC Haugh, 11th District.
Election results
25 of 25 voting centers reporting.
1st District
Angela Durham- 2,417
Write-in: 23
Total: 2,440
3rd District
Eliot Mitchell- 1,081
Jennifer Moss- 883
Write-in: 13
Total: 1,977
5th District
Jennifer Aprea- 1,932
Margie Johnson- 1,663
Brian Snyder- 967
Write-in: 22
Total: 4,584
7th District
Sheila Cleveland- 3,087
Write-in- 37
Total: 3,124
9th District
Rick Wimberly- 3,051
Write-in: 35
Total: 3,086
11th District
KC Haugh- 1,856
Write-in: 18
Total: 1,874
More: Three candidates vie for vacated 5th District seat on Williamson school board
More: Incumbent faces opposition for 3rd District Williamson school board seat
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School Board Election: Special needs advocate takes 5th District, while 3rd District incumbent reclaims seat - Tennessean
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