4 new DeKalb school members take office

DeKALB – Four new school board members took the oath of office to serve on the DeKalb School District 428 Board this week.

Also, changes were made to the board’s meeting schedule Tuesday.

Newcomers Nick Atwood, Jose Jaques and Kristin Bailey were elected to four-year terms, while Mark Charvat, who ran an unopposed write-in campaign, was elected to a two-year unexpired term in the April election.

Christopher Boyes was selected as Board President, while Jaques and Steve Byers were named Vice President and Board Secretary, respectively.

Christopher Boyes said communication will be paramount going forward for the board.

“I want to make this promise as president that there will never be a time where I know anything that you guys will not as board members,” Boyes said. “I want you to know when we get our weekly board update, I will have a president’s report in there, so that any meeting, anything I’ve been a part of you guys are aware of going forward.”

Boyes said he wants to bring a sense of transparency to the community.

“You will not just know what we’re doing, I want you guys to know that we will work to make sure you understand why we are doing the things that we are doing,” Boyes said.

He said he is committed to ensuring accountability.

“To the district, I want to make the promise that whether it’s administration,” Boyes said. “Whether it’s students, whether it’s staff or whether it’s us as board member, we will work towards accountability for everyone in this district, so that our students are constantly are being at the forefront and taken care of.”

Also at the meeting, the board implemented changes to its meeting schedule that includes moving the meeting start time to 7 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays of every month after convening in closed session during the hour immediately proceeding it.

Bailey and Jaques were among some board members who expressed concerns about public meetings starting at different times prompting confusion.

The district used to have a standing 7 p.m. start time for its board meetings.

The board meetings currently begin at 6 p.m., unless the district informs the public 48 hours in advance otherwise. For example, the board may enter open session, head into closed session immediately thereafter and begin the business of the board in open session at 7 p.m.

The meeting schedule change was approved by the board except for board member Vanta Bynum – who voted against it.

The board’s decision impacts the remainder of the 2024-2025 meeting schedule, as well as the one for the 2025-2026 school year.

The meeting dates, as approved, are as follows:

May 20

June 3

June 17

July 1

July 15

August 5

August 19

September 2

September 16

October 7

October 21

November 4

November 18

December 16

January 13, 2026

February 3, 2026

February 17, 2026

March 3, 2026

March 17, 2026

April 7, 2026

April 21, 2026

May 5, 2026

May 19, 2026

June 2, 2026

June 16, 2026