The Newton County Board of Education unanimously voted on its chairman and vice-chairman for the next year at Tuesday night's meeting.

District 2 representative and outgoing chairman Eddie Johnson nominated District 5 representative Abigail Coggin to serve as chairman. District 4 representative Almond Turner and District 1 representative and outgoing vice-chairman Jeff Meadors simultaneously nominated District 3 representative Shakila Henderson-Baker to serve as vice-chairman. Traditionally, the board has chosen to rotate its chairman and vice-chairman position; however, they elected to not elect vice-chairman Meadors to serve as chairman for the next year.

The position runs from January to January. The chairman directs the board meetings, and in their absence, the vice-chair will step in to direct.

According to a press release from the Newton County School System, the NCSS's policy lists the duties of the chairman as follows:
• To ensure that all members of the board are equally informed regarding the pertinent issues of the district
• To preside at all meetings
• To serve as the official representative of the board unless another member is designated by the board to do so
• To plan with the superintendent the board meeting agendas
• To appoint all committees unless otherwise directed by the board
• To discuss and to vote on all questions
• To call special meetings of the board whenever conditions set for special meetings have been met
• To execute all documents requiring the signature of the chairperson on behalf of the board
• To sign the official record of board proceedings (minutes) as kept by the secretary and approve by the board
• To perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law, by adopted board policy, or by action of the board.