New Hanover County school board chairman will not seek re-election

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Amy Dunning earned her master's degree in education from Elon University, and a doctorate in educational studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. 

Amy is an educator with over 15 years of experience teaching students, supporting practicing teachers, and preparing future educators. 

Amy currently works as a STEM educator in Wilmington. Previously, she was an assistant professor of mathematics education at the University of Illinois Springfield, a graduate research assistant at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a teacher at Rockingham County Schools.

Amy previously served as a member of the New Hanover County Board of Education.

Amy's campaign for New Hanover County Board of Education is her first run for public office.


As of April 6, 2026, Amy Dunning’s website did not contain information on this issue.

School Facilities & Resources

Access to Education

Teachers

Supports high-quality instruction, elevating student thinking, and effective communication while collaborating with diverse stakeholders to shape policies that reflect the needs of students, families, and educators.

Supports high-quality instruction, elevating student thinking, and effective communication while collaborating with diverse stakeholders.

- Supports high-quality instruction, elevating student thinking, and effective communication while collaborating with diverse stakeholders.

School Curriculum

Student Wellbeing

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Amy Dunning

Buket Urgen

Brittnei LaRue's campaign for New Hanover County Board of Education Member is her first entry into politics.

Black Women's Leadership Collective North Carolina – The ...

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Brittnei's campaign for New Hanover County Board of Education Member is her first entry into politics.

Supports wise use of resources, clear decision-making, and building community trust in leadership for the benefit of students and educators.

- Supports wise use of resources, clear decision-making, and building community trust in leadership for the benefit of students and educators.

For Candidate Brittnei LaRue on Issue access to education: Believes the board's role is to govern responsibly, support educators, protect students, and ensure policies are focused on student success rather than political agendas.

Believes the board's role is to govern responsibly, support educators, protect students, and ensure policies are focused on student success rather than political agendas.

- Believes the board's role is to govern responsibly, support educators, protect students, and ensure policies are focused on student success rather than political agendas.

As of April 6, 2026, Brittnei LaRue’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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Brittnei LaRue

Chris Sutton previously ran for New Hanover County Board of Education in 2022 and did not win.

Chris Sutton (New Hanover County Board of Education, North ...

Chris Sutton previously ran for New Hanover County Board of Education in 2022, but did not win.

As of April 6, 2026, Chris Sutton’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports securing funding to expand Pre-K programs.

Supports securing funding to expand pre-K programs.

Supports the growth of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and the expansion of non-college career pathways.

Supports the growth of career and technical education (CTE) programs and the expansion of non-college career pathways.

Supports developing district-wide small business and entrepreneurship support to help students explore, launch, and grow their ideas.

- Supports securing funding to expand pre-K programs.
- Supports the growth of career and technical education (CTE) programs and the expansion of non-college career pathways.
- Supports developing district-wide small business and entrepreneurship support to help students explore, launch, and grow their ideas.

Wants to improve teacher benefits, including bereavement leave, maternity leave, and paid time off.

- Wants to improve teacher benefits, including bereavement leave, maternity leave, and paid time off.

Wants to increase technology-based enrichment, including exposure to emerging tools like artificial intelligence (AI), while teaching students how to use technology responsibly.

- Wants to increase technology-based enrichment, including exposure to emerging tools like artificial intelligence (AI), while teaching students how to use technology responsibly.

Supports earlier interventions for at-risk students.

Supports strong community partnerships for student support.

Supports reducing youth crime "through prevention, accountability, and coordinated community action."

- Supports earlier interventions for at-risk students.
- Supports strong community partnerships for student support.
- Supports reducing youth crime "through prevention, accountability, and coordinated community action."

Chris Sutton

Jerry Jones, Jr. has a bachelor27s degree in physics from Warren Wilson College, a bachelor27s degree in history and political science from Warren Wilson College, and a master27s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina. He is married to his wife, Erin, and they have two children together.

New Hanover County voters chose school board, judge nominees

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Jerry Jones, Jr. has a bachelors degrees in physics and history and political science from Warren Wilson College and a master's degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina. He is married to his wife, Erin, and they have two children together.

Jerry ran for election to the New Hanover County Board of Education in 2024. This was his first time running for public office.

Jerry Jones Jr. (New Hanover County Board of Education, North ...

Supports reducing administrative costs to increase staff presence in schools.

Supports increased funding for public education and reduced administrative costs.

Supports increased funding for public education.

- Supports reducing administrative costs to increase staff presence in schools.
- Supports increased funding for public education.

Opposes school vouchers, which are programs and policies that allow families to use public school funds to access schools beyond their local public school, including private schools.

- Opposes school vouchers, which are programs and policies that allow families to use public school funds to access schools beyond their local public school, including private schools.

As of April 6, 2026, Jerry Jones, Jr.’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports the continuation of an equity, diversity, and inclusion committee.

- Supports the continuation of an equity, diversity, and inclusion committee.

Supports hiring more aides, counselors, and psychologists to address student mental health issues.

- Supports hiring more aides, counselors, and psychologists to address student mental health issues.

Jerry Jones, Jr.

Josie is a board member on the New Hanover County Board of Education. She works at the New Hanover County Board of Education, where she helps set school policies, works with teachers and administrators, and listens to families. She previously taught middle school in Texas at a low-income school, where she led a karate-based alternative to PE program to teach self-control, respect, and discipline.

2022 Primary Election: Josie Barnhart eyes seat on NHCS board ...

Josie Barnhart previously taught at a middle school in Texas.

Josie Barnhart is currently a member of the New Hanover County Board of Education. She was elected in 2022 and is serving her first term. She is vice chair of the New Hanover County Board of Education.

Josie Barnhart (New Hanover County Board of Education, North ...

Josie Barnhart

NHC school board candidate forum: Fact-checking and analysis ...

Josie is currently a member of the New Hanover County Board of Education. She was elected in 2022 and is serving her first term. 

Believes in reviewing funding allocations to ensure money is directed to classrooms and student resources, prioritizing academic growth and appropriate staffing.

- Believes in reviewing funding allocations to ensure money is directed to classrooms and student resources, prioritizing academic growth and appropriate staffing.

For Candidate Josie Barnhart on Issue education-access:  
Supports parental rights and involvement in the school system, advocating for transparency in curriculum access and allowing parents to make medical decisions for their children.

Supports parental rights, including access to curriculum access, allowing parents to make medical decisions for their children, and requiring schools share information about their children.

- Supports parental rights, including access to curriculum access, allowing parents to make medical decisions for their children, and requiring schools share information about their children.

Supports readdressing funding to improve salaries for support staff and believes appropriate staffing is essential for student support.

For Candidate Josie Barnhart on Issue teachers: Advocates for restoring communication and respect while prioritizing academic performance and closing the learning gap between students.

Advocates for restoring communication and respect while prioritizing academic performance and closing the learning gap between students.

- Supports readdressing funding to improve salaries for support staff and believes appropriate staffing is essential for student support.
- Advocates for restoring communication and respect while prioritizing academic performance and closing the learning gap between students.

For Candidate Josie Barnhart on Issue school-curriculum: Believes current concerns of bias in teaching and curriculum are not being addressed and that parents should have the ability to identify when the school system oversteps boundaries.

Believes concerns of bias in teaching and curriculum are not being addressed and that parents should have the ability to identify when the school system oversteps boundaries.

- Believes concerns of bias in teaching and curriculum are not being addressed and that parents should have the ability to identify when the school system oversteps boundaries.

For Candidate Josie Barnhart on Issue student-wellbeing: Supports having mentors and adult volunteers in addition to school resource officers to help keep schools safe.

Supports having mentors and adult volunteers in addition to school resource officers to help keep schools safe.

For Candidate Josie Barnhart on Issue student-wellbeing: Supports increasing School Resource Officers, implementing less tolerance for violent offenses, and establishing targeted mentorship programs for at-risk students.

Supports increasing School Resource Officers, implementing less tolerance for violent offenses, and establishing targeted mentorship programs for at-risk students.

- Supports having mentors and adult volunteers in addition to school resource officers to help keep schools safe.
- Supports increasing School Resource Officers, implementing less tolerance for violent offenses, and establishing targeted mentorship programs for at-risk students.

Pat is from Wilmington, North Carolina. She attended Appalachian State University. She has a bachelor’s degree in education from Appalachian State University. She lives with her children and grandchildren in Wilmington. She attends Global River Church.

Campaign finances: School board candidate donates $1,500 in ...

Pat is from Wilmington. She has a bachelor’s degree in education from Appalachian State University. She lives with her children and grandchildren in Wilmington and attends Global River Church.

Pat is a magazine publisher and small business owner. She owns Wrightsville Beach Magazine. She previously founded and published Lumina News, a weekly newspaper, from 2002 to 2015. After graduating from Appalachian State University, she taught children and adults in a variety of curriculums as a K–12 educator.

Pat is the owner of Wrightsville Beach Magazine. She previously founded and published Lumina News, a weekly newspaper, and worked as a teacher.

Pat Bradford is currently a member of the New Hanover County Board of Education. She was elected in 2022 and is serving her first term.

Pat Bradford currently serves as a member of the New Hanover County Board of Education. She was elected in 2022 and is serving her first term.

Supports transparency and long-term planning in school budgeting, ensuring tax dollars are spent wisely on safe, modern learning environments.

- Supports transparency and long-term planning in school budgeting, ensuring tax dollars are spent wisely on safe, modern learning environments.

For Candidate Pat Bradford on Issue access to education: Prefers neighborhood schools to promote community ties and believes all children should receive equal education regardless of race or socioeconomic status. Plans to investigate disparities in school funding.

Prefers neighborhood schools to promote community ties and believes all children should receive equal education regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

- Prefers neighborhood schools to promote community ties and believes all children should receive equal education regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

For Candidate Pat Bradford on Issue teachers: Advocates for better pay and working conditions for teachers and support staff, criticizing the school board for prioritizing other funding over recommended salary increases for these roles.

Advocates for better pay and working conditions for teachers and support staff, criticizing the school board for prioritizing other funding over recommended salary increases for these roles.

- Advocates for better pay and working conditions for teachers and support staff, criticizing the school board for prioritizing other funding over recommended salary increases for these roles.

For Candidate Pat Bradford on Issue school-curriculum: Believes in teaching unity rather than a narrative of oppressors versus the oppressed.

Believes in teaching "unity instead of oppressors vs. oppressed."

For Candidate Pat Bradford on Issue school-curriculum:  
Advocates for a curriculum that focuses on foundational skills such as reading, writing, and math, while emphasizing American history and reducing emphasis on emotional topics.

Advocates for a curriculum that focuses on foundational skills such as reading, writing, and math, while emphasizing American history and reducing emphasis on feelings.

- Believes in teaching "unity instead of oppressors vs. oppressed."
- Advocates for a curriculum that focuses on foundational skills such as reading, writing, and math, while emphasizing American history and reducing emphasis on feelings.

For Candidate Pat Bradford on Issue student-wellbeing: Believes schools must be safe, disciplined environments where learning comes first.

Believes schools must be safe, disciplined environments where learning comes first.

Supports School Resource Officers and policies that ensure bullying and violence are not tolerated.

Officers and policies that ensure bullying and violence are not tolerated.

- Believes schools must be safe, disciplined environments where learning comes first.
- Officers and policies that ensure bullying and violence are not tolerated.

Pat Bradford

Rick Southerland has a bachelor's degree in dance and master's degrees in both dance and performing arts.

Rick is an educator and arts adminstrator.

Rick Southerland's campaign for New Hanover County Board of Education Member, Democratic Primary is his first entry into politics.

Team 1 — New Hanover Democrats

Who is running for office in Wilmington, NC, in 2026?

Rick's campaign for New Hanover County Board of Education Member is his first entry into politics.

Prioritizes fully funding public education.ee

- Prioritizes fully funding public education.ee

As of April 6, 2026, Rick Southerland did not have a website or any information online.

Rick Southerland

"Wendy Dale" from https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2025/12/19/look-at-who-filed-in-2026-elections/#~text=Wendy,Dale:~:text=Wendy%20Dale

Wendy Dale has a bachelor's degree in communication studies from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Wendy is a contracts specialist at Jama Software. She previously worked as an operations analyst and a paralegal.

Wendy Dale's campaign for New Hanover County Board of Education Member, Democratic Primary, is her first entry into politics.

Wendy Dale's campaign for New Hanover County Board of Education is her first entry into politics.

As of April 6, 2026, Wendy Dale did not have a website or any information online.

Believes that "factual Black history" should be taught in schools.

- Believes that "factual Black history" should be taught in schools.

Wendy Dale

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. They create policies that establish standards, accountability and evaluation of essential operations of the school system.
- The Board of Education member hires a superintendent and can remove them when necessary. The superintendent assists the Board of Education in implementing the board’s policies. 
- The Board of Education is charged with deciding the school budget. This means they decide how to allocate money between different services, such as teacher pay, repairing school facilities, or access to technology.
- Board of Education members are elected every four years. 

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New Hanover County Board of Education Member

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