DeKalb District 428 school board president Samantha McDavid resigns

DeKALB – DeKalb School District 428 Board President Samantha McDavid has resigned amid what she said is a plan to pursue a new professional opportunity.

McDavid has served on the school board since 2019 and won reelection in 2023. Her departure became effective Wednesday. Board Vice President Deyci Ramirez plans to assume the position of board president in McDavid’s absence.

McDavid said her new job is at the DeKalb County Regional Office of Education.

“Deciding to resign is bittersweet for me because I love the work that I’ve been doing on the board and the service to my community, but I have been offered a professional opportunity that potentially conflicts with my role on the school board,” McDavid said. “I want to pursue this professional opportunity at the DeKalb County Regional Office of Education, and I’m very excited for that, but it is again bittersweet because it does require that I am not serving on the board in the capacity that I was.”

“Deciding to resign is bittersweet for me because I love the work that I’ve been doing on the board and the service to my community, but I have been offered a professional opportunity that potentially conflicts with my role on the school board.”

—  Samantha McDavid

McDavid was reelected in April for a second term and shortly thereafter tabbed for the leadership position of board president.

She said there is a lot of things she’s going to miss about her time spent working on the school board.

“We have really created a collaborative spirit on the board, so within the board, but also within the district,” McDavid said. “I will miss working with [superintendent] Dr. [Minerva] Garcia-Sanchez, my fellow board members to make decisions that are impactful to our students. I will miss just in general a sense of belonging to something bigger than I am, being a part of something that is serving my community. I’ll find other ways to do that, but being on the board really fulfills that in a lot of ways for me.”

McDavid said she believes her time on the school board has proven to be invaluable in helping her land an opportunity at the DeKalb County Regional Office of Education.

“I’ve learned so much in just over the last four years that I’ve been on the board,” she said. “I think I’ve grown immensely as a leader, a collaborator, a caring community member understanding the concerns and the needs of the families and students has really been impactful to me. I think I’ll carry that with me, for sure. That will definitely be an asset in whatever role I’m in but especially in a role at the Regional Office of Education.”

Garcia-Sanchez said McDavid will be greatly missed.

“As a parent with three children who attend schools within the district and as an advocate for early childhood education in her professional role, President McDavid brought valuable insight and perspective to her duties on the board,” Garcia-Sanchez said in a news release. “Her efforts helped foster an environment that promotes academic excellence, inclusivity, and growth for all our students.”

Applications for the vacant seat need to be submitted to the district for consideration by July 31.

For information and requirements to apply, visit board.d428.org.