A swearing-in ceremony for the incumbent and newest members of the Talbot County Board of Education was held at the Talbot County Education Center on Thursday, December 8, 2022. Kathi Dulin Duvall, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Talbot County, administered the Oath of Office to four members of the Board, with family members and district leaders also in attendance.
Incumbent Board member Mrs. Emily Jackson won re-election in District 4 and will serve her second term on the Talbot County Board of Education through 2026. The newest members of the Board, Dr. Jymil Thompson, District 1, Mrs. Amy Dodson, District 3, and Mrs. Deborah Bridges, District 7, will also serve a four-year term through 2026.
Dr. Jymil Thompson is a passionate educator with over 16 years of experience in K-12 education. He currently serves as the Head of Schools of Polaris Village Academy and the Director of Programs at the John and Janice Wyatt Foundation. Dr. Thompson previously served as Principal of Maces Lane Middle School in Cambridge, Maryland, as an Assistant Principal of the freshman academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and as Director of Special Education and Student Support Services for a charter school network serving four schools in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Committed to education and services for students with disabilities, he founded a tutoring and diagnostic company to address compensatory education needs in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Dr. Thompson received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Penn State University, a Master of Arts Degree in teaching from Trinity University, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Administration and Policy from Howard University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Mrs. Amy Dodson, originally from North Carolina, has lived in Maryland since 1998. Her husband, Scott Dodson, is a native of the Eastern Shore and a 24-year teaching veteran. They have resided in Easton since 2013 and have three sons who are enrolled in Talbot County Public Schools. Mrs. Dodson has a Bachelor of Science in Business from Chowan University, North Carolina. She works as a National Sales Director within the safety industry, with advanced knowledge of confined space air quality and associated contaminates. Mrs. Dodson’s youngest son has Down Syndrome, and she has been involved in Down Syndrome advocacy since his birth. She is passionate about success for all students.
Having grown up in an Air Force family, Mrs. Deborah Bridges moved to Talbot County with her family in the 1970s. A graduate of St. Michaels High School, she is actively involved in the local community. She owned and operated Swan Cove Flowers for more than 38 years before recently selling the business. Mrs. Bridges has taught floral design at Chesapeake College and worked as a bookkeeper for several local businesses. She is the President of Holly LakeEnterprises, Inc., and the Garden Center Manager of Bridges Land Management, Inc. Mrs. Bridges is married to Edward M. Bridges, Jr., and they have two sons, Eric and Marc Bridges, two wonderful daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren.
“I am looking forward to working with our newest members and continuing to work with Mrs. Jackson. Their time, treasures, and talent will be a value added to the district,” said Dr. Sharon Pepukayi, Superintendent of Schools. Please join us in congratulating and welcoming our new and returning members of the Talbot County Board of Education.
The next meeting of the Talbot County Board of Education will be held at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at the Talbot County Education Center.
