Sherry Vestal is running for the Blackberry District seat on the Henry County School Board in the November election.
Sherry Vestal, who spent 34 years working for the school division as a school nurse and school nurse coordinator, is seeking the Blackberry District seat on the Henry County School Board. (Contributed)
She will face Jonathan Martin in the race. Incumbent Tom Auker is not seeking re-election.
Vestal, who retired three years ago, worked for the school division for 34 years as a school nurse and school nurse coordinator.
“Henry County has a great school division, otherwise I would not have stayed 34 years,” she said. “I want employees to feel that they can speak and voice their concerns with total support.”
She said she was inspired to run after Auker told her he did not plan to seek another term.
“The more I thought about it, the more I thought that’s what I needed to do,” she said.
Vestal added that politics runs in her family.
“My father was in politics for 34 years,” she said of S.E. Moran, who served on the Henry County Board of Supervisors. “I guess politics is in my blood, and that’s why I decided to run,” she said. “I’m hoping that I can help make a difference.”
If elected, Vestal said she plans to support all school employees and ensure they feel heard.
“I have friends that still work at the central office that say things are better than they’ve ever been,” she said. “Then I have people that work in the buildings that tell me they feel like they’re not being heard.”
She believes that when employees feel valued and supported by their supervisors and administrators, it leads to a more committed and responsive workforce.
“Happy employees will be very responsive and committed employees,” she said.
Vestal also wants to represent not just school staff but parents as well.
“I’ve heard parents complaining about bullying issues,” she said. “I’ve heard teachers complain that they feel like they’re swamped and they’re drowning in work that they have to do.”
Though she hasn’t heard many specific concerns from parents, she said she wants to return to the school system to gain a clearer understanding of what’s currently happening.
“I’ve been gone for three years, I’ve been retired, so I think I just need to get back in there and just find out what’s going on,” she said.
Vestal said she plans to follow advice from one of her favorite Judge Judy quotes: “God gave you two ears and a mouth for a reason. You should listen twice as much as you speak.
“I believe in having an open mind going in and listening to all sides and not going in with a preconceived idea,” she said. “I just want to be open and listen and make suggestions if I see something that needs to be changed or improved upon.”
She doesn’t expect challenges working with other members of the board.
“I know there’s going to be seven members on the board and I’m only going to be one of those seven, but I foresee everyone working together,” she said. “In the end, we all have a common goal, and that’s to make us have the best school division in the Commonwealth.”
As a person of faith, Vestal said she will serve if elected—but will also support her opponent if she’s not.
“If it’s meant for me to be on the board, then I will serve,” she said. “If it’s meant for my opponent to be the one that’s elected, then I will support him 100 percent.”
