Becky Soto has decided to step away from the BOE and won’t run for reelection this year. She’s spent 12 years on the board. (Photo/Submitted)
Becky Soto said she will not seek reelection to the Oglethorpe County Board of Education when her term ends in December.
After 12 years on the BOE and a decade as chair, Soto said she has been contemplating the decision for about a year.
“It’s hard to walk away from something that has given me so much,” Soto said. “The experience has been invaluable.”
Qualifying for Soto’s District 5 seat will be in the first week of March with a primary election in May and the general election in November. The new representative will start their four-year term on Jan. 1, 2027.
The Board of Education will also appoint a new chair, which happens annually.
Superintendent Beverley Levine, who has worked alongside Soto for 11 years, praised her as a leader.
“I cannot say enough good things about her,” Levine said. “She has a true servant leadership heart.”
BOE Vice Chair Jake Willcox said he thinks Soto has served the school system well by being a “forward thinker.”
“She did not show up and just meet the minimum requirements,” Willcox said. “She has gone above and beyond.”
Soto said the timing feels right. Levine is preparing to retire, and Soto’s son is graduating from a physical therapy program at Augusta University and preparing for a wedding.
Soto also said the district is on an “upward trajectory of excellence,” which makes it easier to step away. Willcox said he hopes the race brings candidates who realize serving on the BOE is bigger than one issue.
“We serve not only those constituents and the voters, but we also serve those children and the staff that are in the schools,” Willcox said.
Candidates for the position must be at least 21 years old, live in District 5 and complete paperwork at the county Board of Elections office. Soto said no prior experience is necessary.
“You just have to have a heart for public education and a heart for Oglethorpe County,” she said.
Soto has helped guide the school system through state austerity cuts after the Great Recession, a time when teachers were furloughed and “every dime was so important.”
She said she is proud of added facilities like Oglethorpe County Elementary School and lights added to the baseball and softball field in 2018. She also noted that the high school graduation rate is at a peak.
“I am so proud of what we have accomplished,” Soto said. “And we have turned Oglethorpe County Schools around.”
Reflecting on her time in office, Soto said she has gained a greater level of empathy and appreciation for public education, and how quality and sustainable change takes patience.
“I am a better person for having spent this time with these kids, with these parents and with these educators,” Soto said. “I owe them way more than I could have ever paid back.”