Bibb County School District holds swearing-in ceremony for six officials
"I stood up when other people would not stand up, I spoken out when other people would not speak out and so people remember me for that and apparently they want me to continue to do that," said Dr. Henry Ficklin.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Bibb County School District held a swearing-in ceremony for six elected officials over at the Professional Learning Center Thursday.
Judge Sarah Harris resided over the ceremony and the building was packed with other school district staff, family, and community members. The ceremony ended with closing remarks from Superintendent Dr. Dan Sims welcoming each member.
Officials who were sworn in were,
- Myrtice C. Johnson, District 1
- Dr. Henry Ficklin, District 2
- Kristin Hanlon, District 3
- Barney Hester, District 4
- Dr. Sundra Woodford, District 5
- James Freeman, District 6
We spoke with Dr. Sundra Woodford, who got emotional while swearing in for her final term.
“It was a very special moment for me having my parents hold my Bible, my 82 and 83 year old parents, having my husband out in the audience and my children watching me live stream and just reflecting on the past eight years and what I hope to accomplish in the next four,” said Dr. Woodford.
“I am really thinking about how communities can support the work of the district,” she said. “You know, I think for a lot of our children, they’re ability to make the connections between the school house and their homes is really essential for them to thrive. So I’m really looking forward to maximizing this time in a way that lifts up our students.”
We also spoke with Dr. Henry Ficklin who’s beginning his first term with overwhelming support.
“I thought it was a wonderful moment that people remember the work I’ve already done in the school system with students,” said Dr. Ficklin. “A lot of my former students are here and it was a wonderful moment, but now they see me at a different level because they know my path has always been with kids, students. My whole motto has always been every child, a winner and I want to see that happen in Bibb County to every child. I even wore my famous, Save the Children tie today.”
“I think that when you’re in the classroom, one of the things that classroom teachers have to always be is accountable and I think that we need to make sure that accountability is a mainstay of what happens in Bibb County. Classroom teachers are accountable, Principals are accountable, Superintendents are accountable, board members are accountable, we have to be accountable to our product, which is the student.”
“I’ve been working in this community for years and years and years and so people still remember the work I’ve done. I stood up when other people would not stand up, I spoken out when other people would not speak out and so people remember me for that and apparently they want me to continue to do that, but I think that there are some kind of things that the school board have that you can’t say certain things. So I’ll find out as we move on,” said Dr. Ficklin.
According to the Bibb County School District Dr. Sundra Woodford will begin her third and final term. Myrtice C. Johnson, Kristin Hanlon, and James Freeman will begin their second terms and Dr. Henry Ficklin along with Barney Hester will begin their first terms.
Their four year term starts January 1, 2025.
The remaining two Board of Education seats are elected on an alternate election cycle, those seats are currently held by Daryl Morton, At-Large, Post 7 and Dr. Lisa Garrett-Boyd, At-Large, Post 8.
