Ed Davis, a longtime community volunteer, has joined the Newport Board of Education.
The board has chosen Davis to replace former member Melissa Sheffel, who resigned from the board earlier this year.
“We are very excited to have Ed Davis join our team,” said Newport Board of Education Chairwoman Ramona Malone. “Ed has long been committed to the community, and this is an opportunity for him to continue to make a difference in the lives of so many, not just today but in the future. Ed is someone who cares about people and is always working to bring people together.
“Ed is no stranger to the school board members, the superintendent and the staff and he has been a supporter of Newport Schools for many years,” Chairwoman Malone said. “His established relationships in the school district, his grandchildren being Newport Students, and his involvement in the Newport community will be very beneficial to the school district and the community at large.”
Davis, whose grandchildren attend the Newport schools, said he was honored and humbled to join the Newport Board of Education.
“It’s really just starting to sink in,” said Davis, a retired postal worker who also was active in organized labor with the steelworkers. “I have always served the community, and joining the board is really an extension of what I have been doing.
“The Newport schools have a great team in place, with people who really care,” he said. “I believe I can add some fresh ideas and a new perspective. I look forward to building on the successes the schools have achieved and confronting the challenges the school district faces.”
Davis is a founding member of the Newport Alumni Mentoring Program for Newport Public Schools and a member of the ReNewport Education Task Force.
He served as president of the Westside Citizens Coalition, is a member of the Newport Historic Preservation Board and played a part in the creation of the York Street Local Historic District.