At a special meeting in February, the Kent ISD School Board appointed Kentwood resident Sylvia James to fill an opening on its board created when Bill Joseph retired earlier this year.
A 25-year-resident of the City of Kentwood, James currently serves as a Trustee of the Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education, a position she has held since 2017. She has extensive professional experience in operational and strategic human resources practices and management at Pridgeon & Clay, Inc., and previously with Steelcase, Spectrum Health, and Robert Bosch, LLC.
“I became interested in being a part of this board out of a desire to serve students and families beyond the Kentwood community,” James said. “I am looking forward to connecting with the Greater Grand Rapids community as I learn more about Kent ISD. I am excited about the possibility of being able to make a positive impact as we continue to serve students, educators, and our community.”
“We are pleased to welcome Sylvia to the Kent ISD School Board and look forward to enlisting her experience, passion and dedication to serve all students in the Kent County area,” Kent ISD Superintendent Ron Caniff said. “The board is grateful to Bill Joseph for his 18 years of service, countless insights and many contributions throughout the years. We look forward to continuing this important work with Sylvia’s leadership and commitment to public education.”
Kent ISD’s Board has five members who each serve six-year terms and are elected by representatives of the local districts. James will serve until the 2021 election, when she can run to serve the remainder of Joseph’s term which ends in 2025.
