Medford School Board chair Cynthia Wright, middle, discusses the process to fill a recently vacated board seat with vice chair Kendell Ferguson, right, in late May. Outgoing Superintendent Bret Champion listens at left. (Buffy Pollock/Rogue Valley Times)

Brandenberger, Nowak and Spicer are the three finalists based on ranking; outgoing Superintendent Bret Champion has new job waiting in Texas; 2025-26 budget also on work session agenda

Interviews of three candidates for a vacant Medford School District board seat and a 2025-26 budget process update are on the agenda for Thursday’s Medford School District board work session.

The meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. at Oakdale Middle School, 815 S. Oakdale Ave., Room 230. Board members will review three finalists for a seat vacated June 1 by board member Michelle Atkinson. The three finalists, based on ranking, are Illex Brandenberger, Rhonda Nowak and Sunny Spicer.

Atkinson announced her resignation May 5, due to an impending move.

The announcement came just prior to the May 20 special election, prompting criticism from school board candidates, during a May 12 candidate forum,  who said the resignation felt intentionally timed.
Candidates for three vacant seats urged fellow candidates, including board chair Cynthia Wright — who sought reelection but was ousted by candidate Erik Johnsen — not to apply for the vacancy if their bid for election was unsuccessful.

In another concern raised by the vacancy, candidates voiced frustration that outgoing board members, whose terms expire June 30, should not have a hand in selecting an applicant for the vacant seat.

Johnsen told fellow candidates that soon-to-be-sworn-in and continuing board members should appoint the vacancy after July 1, since they would be working with the individual.
Board member Michael Williams agreed and voiced similar concerns during a May 22 board meeting.

Williams said the selection for the vacant seat will have a significant impact on future board dynamics and urged the existing board to delay appointment to allow incoming board members — newly elected board members Johnsen, Angela Zbikowski and Sandra Lanier McHenry will be sworn in on July 1 — to participate.
Williams made a motion to that effect but was met by silence and fellow board members declining to second the motion.

The board has had a tumultuous year with a number of complaints between board members and district employees and culminating in the February resignation of District Superintendent Bret Champion, who leaves his Medford post on June 30.

Champion was recently announced as the newly hired Chief Schools Officer for Arlington Independent School District in Texas. The move marks a return to his previous home state. Champion previously served as superintendent for two other large districts in Texas; Klein ISD and Leander ISD.

Between the newly elected three members and the appointed vacancy, just three existing board members will remain on the board including Williams, Kendall Ferguson and Lillia Caballero

Finalists who applied for appointment to Atkinson’s now-empty seat were selected — from eight total applications — using a ranking system. Whoever is selected will serve for the remainder of Atkinson’s four-year term, which will end on June 30, 2027.

Additional agenda items include an update on the 2025-26 budget process.

Reviewed during an April meeting and set for approval May 22, district officials suggested a delayed approach amid ongoing concerns with the state facing a more than $750 million budget shortfall.

Brad Earl, assistant superintendent of operations for the Medford School District, told board members May 22 that district officials hoped to “gather more information on potential funding before budget adoption.”
Under state law, board members must review and approve the proposed budget by June 30.

Thursday’s meeting agenda is posted to the district website. The meeting also will be livestreamed.

Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or buffy.pollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.