Julie Hummel has been selected by the Williamsburg City Council to replace longtime city representative Elise Emanuel on the Williamsburg-James City County School Board.
Hummel, 55, is the associate director of program development and innovation for the undergraduate business program at William & Mary.
A Lafayette High School graduate and city resident since 2003, Hummel volunteered in WJCC schools and served as PTA president at Matthew Whaley Elementary School before joining William & Mary full time in 2009. She was appointed to be the new Williamsburg representative during the Dec. 10 City Council meeting.
She will begin her first four-year term Jan. 1.
Delores Bagby, a retired educator and active volunteer, and Linda Hertzler, an owner of landscape design and construction company Hertzler & George, were also considered for the position.
In an interview with WYDaily before the Nov. 12 public hearing on the school board appointment, Hummel said residents have asked her for eight years to seek a spot on the school board.
With her youngest child now a freshman in college – all three of her children attended and graduated from WJCC schools – Hummel said now was the right time to give back as a school board member.
Emanuel has served three consecutive terms on the school board but chose not to seek appointment to a fourth. Her term expires Dec. 31.
During the public hearing, Emanuel publicly backed Hummel for the position, noting her “active involvement” in the school division and her experience on the citizens redistricting committee.
On the school board, Hummel said she would be interested in advocating for vocational training, STEM programs and opportunities to develop the skills and workplace competencies students need to succeed in college.
She said she believes the school division should be operating in a “mode of continuous improvement.”
“How can we ensure our school system is meeting the needs of all of our constituents on all points on the spectrum? How can we be good stewards of our tax money? Those are the kinds of questions I’ll be bringing to my role as a board member,” Hummel said in November.
In a news release Thursday, Hummel also noted school population growth and the fourth middle school’s location, redistricting and the school budget as other important issues facing the school system.
“Our school system does a lot of things really well, but we should always be in a mode of continuous improvement. I am not seeking this position for any particular issue or viewpoint,” Hummel said. “I am interested in how we can deliver the best school system for our students within the framework of state and federal mandates and our budget.”
The Williamsburg City Council appoints two individuals to represent the city on the seven-member board, each serving four-year terms. The second seat is held by Kyra Cook, who began her first term in 2015.
“From an exceptional pool of candidates, Ms. Hummel embodied experience with education, knowledge of the community and vision for our schools that make her an outstanding choice for our school board,” Mayor Clyde Haulman said. “Council and I look forward to working with her to ensure the best for all our community’s children.”
