SPS board elects new leaders

With two newly elected members sworn in, the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education voted last night to elect its top officers.

The board voted unanimously to appoint Judy Brunner as president and 4-3 to name Danielle Kincaid as vice president. The board meeting was livestreamed on the district's YouTube page.

Brunner was nominated for the president's role by Kincaid, who previously served as president since 2023. Brunner had served as the board’s vice president until yesterday’s meeting.

"It's an honor and a privilege to serve on the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education, and tonight it's an honor and privilege to assume the role as president," Brunner said after the vote.

Brunner then nominated Kincaid as vice president, and board member Shurita Thomas-Tate nominated herself for the role.

In a statement to the board, Thomas-Tate called for "rotating leadership."

"As we enter a transition period with two outgoing and two incoming board members, I believe now is the right time for rotating leadership," Thomas-Tate said. "Leadership rotation is a hallmark of healthy governance. It promotes shared responsibility, it brings new perspectives and it helps develop leadership capacity across the board."

Board member Maryam Mohammadkhani, who supported Thomas-Tate's nomination, said she appreciated having a choice for vice president.

"I agree with everything you said," Mohammadkhani said. "Rotating board leadership is quite common on other boards. It's actually the norm on other boards."

Kincaid said that by serving as vice president alongside Brunner as president, the board would have consistency in leadership.

"I have very high respect for you, but I know that Mrs. Brunner and I have really worked to get things on a path that perhaps the board was not always on in the past and that she and I have discussed potentially swapping roles as she has more time," Kincaid said.

Kincaid ultimately was elected vice president, with votes from herself, Brunner, Sarah Hough and Susan Provance. Votes in favor of Thomas-Tate were submitted by herself, Mohammadkhani and Gail Smart.

Hough and Smart were sworn in to the board last night after being elected by voters on April 8. The board also bid farewell to outgoing members Kelly Byrne and Steve Makoski.