Board Vacancy Filled After Interviews of Three Finalists

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education interviews three finalists for an open seat, weighing contrasting views on the Glenwood closure, long-term bond investments, equity and achievement, and the next strategic plan before voting to appoint a new member. 22mins

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Original Meeting

Friday, September 25th, 2026
4456.194528
Board of Education
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Elaine Ellis
Chapel Hill/Carrboro
Writer/Editor
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In This Video
  • Chair Jenkins outlined the interview process for the three applicants for the Board vacancy.
  • One finalist praised the board’s support for the 2024 Orange County School Board bond referendum as a necessary long-term investment in school facilities, highlighting the Carrboro Elementary rebuild and emphasizing continued oversight and accountability for the projects funded.
  • One candidate expressed full support for the board’s difficult decision to close Glenwood, citing comparative data on infrastructure, demographics, and projected growth and agreeing it was preferable to relocating a community school.
  • One finalist described disagreeing with the Board’s decision to close Glenwood based on personal impact, while emphasizing the importance of a more transparent, evidence-based process with earlier community engagement and a district-wide perspective on trade-offs.
  • One finalist discussed closing the achievement gap by prioritizing interventions for mid-achieving students, restoring reading interventionist staffing, and approaching redistricting with a focus on district-wide equity over personal preference while emphasizing a collaborative style they would bring to the board.
  • Finalist Honoria Middough reviewed the district’s strategic plan, praised its transparent equity-focused goals, and proposed strengthening it with continued attention to safety and wellness, intentional recruitment of a more diverse teaching workforce, accelerated support for historically marginalized students in advanced programs, and a public-facing dashboard to track progress.
  • Chair Jenkins explained the ballot process for selecting a single finalist to fill the board vacancy, noting that a candidate needed four votes for appointment and outlining next steps if no one reached that threshold.
  • Chair Jenkins announced that Tongde Wu had secured the four votes needed for appointment to the Board, outlined that Wu would take office after being sworn in at a future meeting, and then adjourned the session.
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