Surry County’s School Board on May 21 named Wayne Gholston and Delvin Jones as candidates to temporarily fill the late Laura Ruffin’s Claremont District seat.

“Both Mr. Gholston and Mr. Jones bring exceptional knowledge, dedication to education, and a commitment to student success. The Board has reviewed their credentials and is confident that either candidate would serve the community with distinction,” the board said in a news release.

The board announced on May 14 on the school division’s Facebook page that it would solicit applications through noon on May 20 for county residents interested in filling the role until a special election can be held in November. Letters of interest were to be sent to School Board Clerk Lynne Jones. 

Both finalists are graduates of Surry County High School. Gholston and Jones were the only candidates to apply, according to Surry County Public Schools Superintendent Herb Monroe. 

Gholston, an alarm specialist at Dominion Energy’s Surry nuclear power station, highlighted his community service background in his letter. He said he’s partnered with Surry County’s Office of Youth Development and is a member of the volunteer group “Men Empowering Young People.” Serving as a mentor to students at Surry Elementary School and facilitating the Boys to Men summer camps “has equipped me with a practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our schools today,” Gholston said in his letter. “I am committed to listening to the concerns of parents, teachers, students, and administrators, and to making thoughtful, informed decisions that reflect the best interests of our community.”

Jones, a U.S. Department of Agriculture risk management specialist, said his time at Surry County Public Schools “forged a robust desire for academic, civic, and professional achievement.”

“Because of those values imparted at SCPS, I find myself here today seeking the opportunity to reinvest my gains that were made possible through sCPS’s investment in me,” Jones said in his letter. “I hope to empower our youth through education and exposure with the returns from said reinvestment.”

Ruffin, 77, died April 28, just over a year into her fourth consecutive term in office.

Under state law, when a board member dies, the remaining board members have 15 days to petition the county’s Circuit Court for a writ of election and up to 45 days to vote among themselves on an interim appointee. The law requires that the board announce its nominee, or nominees, in a public meeting at least seven days prior to voting on the appointment, but does not require that the board hold a public hearing on the matter.

The board expects to appoint Gholston or Jones at a public meeting on May 28 at 1 p.m. in the conference room at the Surry County government center at 45 School St.

The special election to fill the nearly three-year remainder of Ruffin’s term will likely be scheduled to coincide with this year’s Nov. 4 general election.