COVINGTON, Ga. — Newton County Board of Education members, Trey Bailey, Shakila Henderson-Baker and Abigail Coggin were sworn in Thursday by Newton County Probate Judge, Melanie Bell to begin their new terms of office. All three were re-elected without opposition in the November 2022 general election.

Newton County Schools superintendent Samantha Fuhrey expressed delight in the re-election of the trio. 

“Congratulations to Mr. Bailey, Mrs. Henderson-Baker, and Mrs. Coggin as they begin their new terms,” Fuhrey said. “I appreciate the hard work and commitment of our board members. The work of the school board is integral to the success of our students and our school system. The members of the Newton County Board of Education work tirelessly to ensure that the school system continues its forward progress. It is exciting that this team will continue to work together on behalf of our children and employees.” 

Here’s a brief bio on each representative:

Trey Bailey, District 1 Representative

Bailey will begin his second full term on the Newton County Board of Education this year. A native of Newton County and graduate of Newton County High School, Mr. Baily currently serves as the Executive Pastor at Eastridge Community Church. He is a proud graduate Newton County High School and Mercer University.

Shakila Henderson-Baker, Board Chair and District 3 Representative

 Henderson-Baker will begin her fourth term on the Newton County Board of Education, having originally been elected in 2010 and then reelected in 2014 and 2018. She is the District 3 representative on the school board and currently serves as board chair. A Newton County native, Mrs. Henderson-Baker is a graduate of Newton County High School. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Fort Valley State University and holds a Master of Science degree in psychology and counseling from Troy University.

Abigail Coggin,Vice Chair and District 5 Representative 

Coggin will begin her fourth term on the Newton County Board of Education, having originally been elected in November 2010 and then re-elected in 2014 and 2018. She currently serves as the vice chair and District 5 representative on the school board. A life-long resident of Newton County, Mrs. Coggin is a 1992 graduate of Newton County High School. She continued her education by graduating from Oxford College and Emory University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Mrs. Coggin is the Chief Operations Officer of the Arts Association in Newton County.