Sheridan student Jason Alexander looks on as his teacher makes an announcement to the class.
Marcus Larson/News-Register

While other students mingle during a “relaxed party” day in class, student Jason Alexander gets help filling out a class assessment form from his creative writing teacher, Joyce Garland.
Marcus Larson/News-Register

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SHERIDAN - Jason Alexander has some unfinished business to wrap up before being sworn in as the newest Sheridan School board member.

Like graduating from high school, which will happen when commencement is held at 2 o'clock this afternoon at the football stadium. Then he'll officially join the school board at its July meeting and begin serving a four-year term as its Position 1 representative.

Currently, Carol DeJong holds Position 1, Larry Diebel Position 2 and Robin Rawlings Position 3. Their terms end June 30.

Diebel and Rawlings sought re-election. Neither drew an opponent.

DeJong chose not to seek re-election. No one filed for her seat, so it had to be filled on the basis of write-in votes cast in the May 19 balloting.

The 19-year-old Alexander, who announced his candidacy in a newspaper letter to the editor, received 14. Trailing behind him were Mayor Val Adamson with eight and former school board member Dick Paay with six.

Paay was one of two board members recalled in a May 2002 election. A third board member survived the recall, but later resigned.

Alexander has lived in Sheridan his entire life. He was homeschooled, then attended a private school in McMinnville, before entering the Sheridan school system in the fourth grade.

He has to remain a district resident to serve on the board. His immediate plans are to continue working part time at the Sheridan Pizza Co. while attending Chemeketa Community College.

"I love the town," he said. "It's home to me.

"I hear people say they want to move, they want to get out of here. I want to stay. It's a nice town."

Alexander said it never crossed his mind to serve on the school board. Then he got his ballot in the mail for the May 19 election and noticed no one had filed for Position 1.

He said he became curious about the possibility of securing the seat as a write-in candidate.

He didn't mount a serious campaign effort, but told some friends about his interest. He also wrote an appeal for support published in the May 13 edition of The Sun, Sheridan's newspaper which employs his mother, Marguerite, as a reporter.

Alexander inquired at the district office for literature that would help him understand the responsibilities of the office. He also spoke with some faculty members about his plan.

Judy Breeden and Mary Leith fill out the board. Alexander said he knows Leith better than any of the other members, because he and her son, Jacob, a fellow senior, are good friends.

"My friends, they're excited, they're happy for me," Alexander said.

Once he made his interest known, he said, he felt his chances were good. Neither Adamson nor Paay openly campaigned, nor did anyone else.

He thinks his involvement in FFA and Boy Scouts has provided him with experience he can use as a board member.

He had to demonstrate his knowledge of parliamentary procedures as well as leadership skills in FFA, and served as a senior leader in Scouting. He also has participated in community service activities.

Alexander said helping the district through its current budget crisis is the biggest challenge immediately facing the board he is joining.