Following the acceptance of Blanck's resignation, the board unanimously voted to appoint GISD alumna and registered nurse Laura Kincheloe to fill the Place 4 seat until the May 2 election.
The background
Blanck was first elected to the board in 2020 and was reelected for a second term in 2023. With 30 years of education experience, Blanck worked for GISD for 23 years as a director of special education, a licensed specialist in school psychology and a campus administrator.
Blanck told Community Impact she is most proud of hiring Superintendent Devin Padavil in 2023, witnessing quality campus leadership, advocating for students and graduating from the Texas Association of School Boards' leadership program during her tenure.
"I'm very proud of this community," Blanck said. "I'm very proud of everybody who's been working in the district so hard the last three years. We're back on track."
Blanck holds volunteer roles with several organizations throughout Georgetown, including the city of Georgetown's Convention and Visitors Bureau board, Texas Junior Forums, the Boys and Girls Club of Georgetown board, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce, Exceptional Georgetown Alliance and the city of Georgetown ethics board, according to GISD information.
"I need to step back to personally take more time for family and other responsibilities, and do not feel I can fulfill this important role with the attention it deserves," Blanck said at the Jan. 12 meeting. "I wish each of you and the district continued success. I remain a strong supporter of public education and the important work being done here in Georgetown."
What they're saying
School board president James Scherer thanked Blanck for her dedication as a GISD trustee and educator before voting to accept her resignation.
"The impact you have on our community ... I think a lot of people don't understand how involved [you are] ... and how much you help shape young lives in this community," Scherer said.
The update
Place 4 appointee Kincheloe is a registered nurse with a doctoral degree in Education and Leadership in Nursing from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
She has participated in various district initiatives, including serving on the Citizens Advisory Committee, and is a board member for the Georgetown Family YMCA. A Georgetown native, Kincheloe graduated from Georgetown High School in 2008. She and her husband have have four children who currently attend GISD.
"I want to give back to the community that I believe raised me," Kincheloe said in an interview with Community Impact. "I navigated a lot of different challenges as a child—everything from being unhoused and experiencing poverty to family issues. The one thing I could always count on were my teachers and community members that poured into kids in schools."
The board is expected to call a May 2 election for Places 4 and 5, said Melinda Brasher, GISD executive director for communications and community engagement. Anthony Blankenship currently holds the Place 5 seat.
Eligible candidates may apply for a place on the ballot during the filing period, which runs from Jan. 14-Feb. 13. Kincheloe said she plans to run for the full Place 4 term.
