School board incumbents reelected to serve Newton Community School District

Three incumbents running for the Newton School Board have been reelected, according to preliminary election results released by the county auditor’s office.

Robyn Friedman, Travis Padget and Ray Whipple ran uncontested alongside newcomer Hilary Foster in the school board race. Four seats were available, which means all four candidates practically secured their elections by merely being on the ballot, provided a successful write-in didn’t thwart their chances.

Unofficial results show Friedman earned 1,012 votes, Padget earned 1,009 votes and Whipple earned 973 votes. Foster, a new candidate, earned 996 votes. Until a canvass is conducted by the county board of supervisors, the election results are not official or certified.

Friedman told Newton News in a statement that she was thankful to all those who voted for her to be reelected to the school board.

“I look forward to working with my fellow turning school board members and I welcome new board member Hilary Foster,” Friedman said.

“I am looking forward to working with the board and administration in positively supporting the district as we go through our next elementary school transition from three to two schools over the next year, and I am also looking forward to further discussions on improving accessibility and upgrades at both H.A. Lynn Stadium and the high school.”

Padget said, “I’m excited to continue to serve the community as a part of our schools. We need to continue to push for better educational opportunities for all of our children; they are our future and it is imperative that we prepare them for a lifetime of success.”

Whipple said, “I am really looking forward to getting all the school construction completed and both buildings up and running. I really hope the board can address the lack of ADA accessibility at the high school.”