Michelle Crook and Ruth Wallace have been certified to have their names on the ballot in November to run for the Botetourt County School Board from the Buchanan and Amsterdam Election Districts, respectively.
Crook’s petition to run as an Independent was certified by the Director of Elections and General Registrar Traci Clark’s office last week, and Wallace’s petiton was verified Monday.
Crook was appointed to the School Board in December to finish the late Kathy Sullivan’s term that ends December 31.
Crook, who lives on Hardbarger Road just south of Buchanan, is a James River High School and Roanoke College graduate. She holds an MBA from Troy University.
She has worked for Bank of Botetourt for 23 years and has been CFO for the bank since 2005.
Crook serves on the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Education Foundation, sits on the foundation’s scholarship committee, has served on the school division’s Gifted and Talented Committee, and was on the committee that reviewed the school division’s School Efficiency Review that was completed in January 2015.
She also sits on the Botetourt YMCA Steering Committee and is a trustee of Lithia United Methodist Church.
Wallace is seeking her fifth 4-year term on the board.
She is a retired educator who has served as board chair for several years.
Wallace, who lives in Daleville, has served on a number of committees, including state education committees and state teacher certification committees. She is on the school division’s calendar committee and supported the school division’s decision to complete the first semester before the Christmas break and to implement block scheduling at the high schools. She was involved in establishing the STEM-H program at Greenfield Education and Training Center and has supported the many dual enrollment opportunities for students. She also serves on the Roanoke Valley Governor’s School for Science and Technology Regional Board. She is the current chair of that board.
School board candidates must run as Independents.
Two Republican candidates have qualified to run for the two Board of Supervisors’ seats that are up for election this fall. Todd Dodson will run for a second term as the Amsterdam District representative and Ray Sloan is running for the first time for the Buchanan District seat.
Candidates running for a party nomination had until March 30 to submit their paperwork to the party. Then the parties had until April 4 to certify those candidates to be on the ballot for a June 13 primary, if needed.
Non-party candidates— Independents— have until June 13 at 7 p.m. to file declarations and have enough signatures of support to be on the November ballot. All School Board candidates must run as Independents.
