Wake school board picks Toshiba Rice as newest member

Rice is scheduled to be sworn in Feb. 20 and will serve the remainder of Tara Waters’ vacated term, which runs until December. The seat is up for election in November.

The nine-member school board is in charge of the employment of the Wake County Public School System’s superintendent, sets the school system’s $2.14 billion budget, approves higher-priced contracts, sets policies and approves facility plans.

Three board members voted for Tammy Martin, a communications professional and consultant.

During her interview, Rice emphasized improving worsening students attendance — a rising national problem — the importance of schools in a thriving local economy and the importance of communicating and listening more effectively. “If schools are great, we can economically thrive,” Rice said.

During her interview, Rice said that when people listen to one another, they often find some common ground.

“We find out we’re really not that different after all,” Rice said.

Board Member Lynn Edmonds pushed for Rice.

She noted that Rice has been involved in school improvement teams, parent-teacher associations, academically and intellectually gifted teams and on a board advisory committee. She works well with others, Edmonds said, and she’s been engaged for years.

Rice has worked at imWell in Raleigh, a wellness company, since 2001 and works as a principal consultant and trainer. She is also the executive director of Track My Steps, where she’s worked since 2010. She also trains students and school employees in mental health first aid across the state.

Rice, who has an associate’s degree from Wake Technical Community College, was selected Rice from among six candidates. On Tuesday, the board interviewed six candidates for 30 minutes each, asking each one 10 questions.

Board Chairman Chris Heagarty said he visited some District 4 schools and asked people what qualities they were looking for in a board member.

“The best advice I think I got was that they weren’t so much looking for someone who had all of the answers or maybe the most knowledge," said Heagarty, who voted for Rice. "But rather, what they said they hear form their parent, the student and the families was that they wanted someone who would be engaged, someone who would listen, someone who would make those families and parents feel seen.”

Seven people applied for the open seat but one, Michael T. Williams, dropped out before his interview.

District 4 covers east Raleigh and a bit beyond, including Knightdale. Applicants listed parent engagement, transportation and employee retention among several priorities for the school system.

Waters resigned from the board Jan. 2, when she was sworn in to fill the open seat on the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

By rule, the board appoints people to seats that are vacated in the middle of a term until the next election cycle.