Rhonda Newhouse was appointed by the Spring ISD board of trustees to replace recently retired Mel Smith as the trustee for Position 5.

The Spring ISD board of trustees has appointed longtime educator Rhonda Newhouse to fill the vacant Position 5 on the board of trustees after Trustee Mel Smith recently announced his resignation from the board.

"The board welcomes Rhonda Newhouse to our team of eight," President Rhonda Faust said. "I believe she will be a great addition to our school board, and I look forward to working with her as we continue to move forward in preparation for the coming school year."

The board of trustees appointed Newhouse to the position at a board meeting July 29, according to a press release. The new trustee has more than 40 years of education experience. The current field supervisor of principals and counselor certification internship at Prairie View A&M University, Newhouse has experience working as a teacher, counselor and campus administrator.

Newhouse has served on the Spring ISD Education Foundation board of directors and the Spring ISD business and community advisory committee.

"It is an honor and a privilege to serve my community as a Spring ISD board of trustees member," she said. "I hope my former educational expertise will be of value and service to the students, teachers, administrators and my community."

Newhouse's position on the board will be up for election Nov. 4. However, the new elected trustee will not be sworn in until December.

Following Smith's resignation June 30, the board publicized the vacancy to interested community members within the district. The district received 19 applications and reviewed seven applicants before selecting Newhouse.

Although Newhouse will have to be elected to the position Nov. 4 to continue serving on the board after December, Faust said the board wanted to have a full board in August. The 2014-15 school year will be the first with Spring ISD for new Superintendent Rodney Watson who was appointed to the position by the district in July.

"I'm extremely delighted to welcome Mrs. Newhouse to Spring ISD," Watson said. "She brings a wealth of experience to the board that will help us as we reach for excellence. Most important, she has a passion for all children."

For more information, visit www.springisd.org.