Former Wilson Elementary Principal Fills Overton School Board Seat

The Overton County Commission has filled the school board vacancy left by the late Larry Looper on Monday night.

Two candidates spoke before the commission on why they should be appointed. Alice Reed was the selection and will be serving District 3 until August 2022.

Reed said her 36 years in the school system, including being principal at Wilson Elementary made her the right fit.

“Mr Looper’s family wanted to assume his position, I thought that who better to do it except for me,” Reed said. “Who knew the school system, knew the teachers, knew the students, knew the county. It’s my county and I want what’s best for this county.”

Reed said she wants to see Overton County schools improve and exceed in academics, not just in sports. Reed said her passion for education is showing students how much they can achieve and they can compete anywhere life takes them.

“My passion was to show them as much of that world as I could,” Reed said. “I actually would take 8th graders on a school bus to Washington D.C. and teach them how to ride the metro. I would pretend like I didn’t know where we were getting off, so they would get up and read the map. I just want to broaden them, I want them to be as informed with the rest of the world as they possibly can be.”

Reed said her duties on the school board have a quick turnaround, assuming her position on the board Tuesday night. Reed said that it won’t be hard in District 3 to find out about her.

“They can ask anybody in that school district who I am and where I live,” Reed said. ‘They’ll probably even give you my phone number, so feel free to call me.”