This year, we are not only welcoming the class of 2026, but we are also welcoming school board members to the WS/FCS District, but three at-large seats were up for grabs, and nine total seats were available, on Nov.8.
The candidates that ran this year were Democrats Deanna Frazier Kaplan, Richard Watts, Sabrina Coone-Godfrey,along with Republicans Sarah Absher,Allen Daniel,and Michael Hardman.
The Democratic winners were Deanna Frazier Kaplan, Sabrina
Coone-Godfrey, and Richard Watts.
Now after the election, on the WS/FCS school board, we will have five democrats and four
republicans.
With the passing of Stan Elrod, another seat is up for a new candidate.
About the winners:
Deanna Frazier Kaplan: Democrat
Deanna Frazier Kaplan is a former PTA president. Kaplan won the first seat of the school board with the highest number of votes. She is a strong supporter of children’s education and making sure teachers are involved or approve in some measure to the decisions made by the board, as well as fair opportunities for all students.
Kaplan supports her strong stance on being able to represent the WS/FCS community by stating on her website, “I understand the importance of public education.” To learn more about Kaplan, Visit: https://www.facebook.com/DeannaKaplan4SchoolBoard.
Sabrina Coone-Godfrey: Democrat
Sabrina Coone-Godfrey describes herself as an “advocate for public education.” Godfrey has two children who attend schools in the WS/FCS District. She rose from a PTA member to President on the school’s improvement team. As stated on her website, “She has spent countless hours inside schools and classrooms across the district observing the processes, engaging with and advocating for students, educators and staff.”
To find out more about Sabrina Coone-Godfrey, visit: https://www.sabrina4boe.com/about-sabrina
Richard Watts: Democrat
Watts has had 32 years of educational experience. Watts is a Wake Forest graduate, who works with Crosby Scholars and AAMPED (African American Males Pursuing Educational Dreams). He has been the principal of three different schools from 1997-2017.
“It will be my honor to serve the students, the families and the educators of WSFCS,” Watts said. To learn more about Watts visit his page: https://m.facebook.com/people/Richard-Watts-for-WSFCS-School-Board/100075500838181/#_
All three candidates are starting their terms off with a fresh start. Stay tuned as our new and old school board members face the issues of students, staff safety, refocusing on academics and providing extra support for teachers in the classrooms.