PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Portsmouth school board race had seven candidates vying for the five available seats on the board.
After months of vying for votes from Portsmouth residents and parents of Portsmouth Public Schools (PPS) students, unofficial results show five leading candidates.
Incumbents Lakeesha Atkinson and Irene Boone are projected to win reelection, while other winners include Lateacia Sessoms, Jaclyn Walker, and Arnette McSwain are also leading the vote, with all precincts reporting. Provisional ballots still need to be counted as of Wednesday afternoon. One incumbent, Ingrid Whitaker, is losing her race, trailing behind five candidates.
Lateacia Sessoms
Lateacia Sessoms is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Virginia. Among her certifications, she is a certified child and adolescent trauma professional. She leads all candidates, with 17.45% of the vote.
During her campaign, Sessoms shared that her top priorities are addressing staff compensation along with student and staff mental health.
Dr. Jaclyn "Jackie" Walker
Behind Sessoms, Dr. Jackie Walker has 15.53% of the vote. Dr. Walker currently serves as a director of curriculum instruction for over 18 Virginia private schools. Now that she has been elected to the school board, she hopes to address compensation immediately.
Dr. Walker is a 22-year educator with 11 of those years spent in Portsmouth Public Schools. She believes that teacher pay and retention are some of the biggest issues PPS faces.
Another goal of Dr. Walker's is to improve student's academic success. She also hopes to support parents as their child continues through their school journey.
Lakeesha "Klu" Atkinson
Incumbent Lakeesha "Klu" Atkinson has been re-elected with 13.9% of the vote. She has been on the board since 2016; at the time of that election, she was the youngest and first openly LGBTQ member in the board's history and she is the current vice chair.
Now, Atkinson hopes to finish the work she has already started.
Atkinson believes one of the biggest issues PPS faces is overcrowding in schools and says she will fight hard for the construction of a new K-8 school.
Other key issues Atkinson has highlighted include competitive salaries for staff, growing relationships, and expanding courses at the Portsmouth Advanced Career Education (PACE) Center, which helps prepare students with skills and experience needed for careers in trades and technical fields.
Student mental health is a key issue that Atkinson is passionate about; while there is a here-to-help campaign in place, she believes more needs to be done. She strives to continue to strengthen partnerships with nonprofits, the Portsmouth Health Department, and mental health organizations.
In an interview with 13News Now, Atkinson shared that she has always had a passion for advocacy surrounding youth and public education. During her time on the board, she has worked to help fight bullying in the school division and contributed to efforts that benefit the Portsmouth community as a whole.
Alongside these issues, Atkinson hopes to address possible problems that may come with the implementation of the new cell phone-free education policy, including figuring out what the plan is in the event of an emergency.
Irene Boone
Irene Boone has been re-elected to her seat on the school board, with 13.47% of the vote.
As a Portsmouth native and Portsmouth Public Schools alum, Boone shares that she aims to continue bettering the school system and the lives of the people in it.
Boone has run on the platforms of staff compensation, career and technical education, school safety, and improving parental involvement.
Arnette McSwain
Rounding out the list of leading candidates, Arnette McSwain has 13.36% of the vote. McSwain is an Army veteran and retired Chesapeake sheriff’s deputy. In an interview with 13News Now, she shared how her background would bring a new perspective to the board.
McSwain's priorities include making sure students are prepared and have a variety of options before they graduate. Prioritizing mental health for both students and teachers was another key issue that she highlighted.
McSwain values close attention to detail; now that she has been elected to the board, she hopes to go through the budget and make sure funds are being appropriately allocated. Additionally, she hopes to go through test scores and support students through their academic growth.
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