Ron Evans resigns from school board

Ron Evans, a member of the Churchill County School Board resigned as a trustee effective Wednesday.

In a letter to Clay Hendrix, president of the school board, Evans cited his resignation was due to health and personal reasons.

Evans was first elected in 2006 but did not run for re-election four years later. He decided to enter the school board race in 2012 and won. In March Evans decided not to run for re-election.

The retired educator who spent 45-and-a-half years as a teacher, 28 years in Churchill County in industrial arts, said he ran for school board because he wanted to change the tone and the way people were being treated in the school district.

“It has become increasing clear that that is no longer possible for me,” he said in his letter. “I feel like a sailor standing on the dock watching his ship leave port without him. I am sure there are some that would direct me to jump back into the water to continue the fight.”

Superintendent Dr. Sandra Sheldon said Evans was an outstanding board member and provided leadership when it was needed.

“Ron worked hard to pull the board together (as board president) and got them focused on a vision for the district,” Sheldon said. “I appreciate his leadership and time on the board.”

Sheldon said she and Evans worked well together.

“He definitely helped me during my first two years here,” Sheldon said after she became superintendent in 2013.

Sheldon said the next step is for trustees to set a timeline to fill the vacant position. The board will not meet again until June 23, but she said could have a plan in place to select a replacement or wait until July. Whoever fills the vacancy will be in that position until the end of December, said Sheldon.

Three candidates who filed for three open board positions in March will automatically fill those seats in the primary election and then take office in January.

Hendrix said Evans was a good board president before relinquishing that post at the beginning of this year.

“I wish he could have served out the rest of his term,” Hendrix said.

Although the school board tends to disagree on issues, Hendrix said Evans was a good board member who was passionate for both educators and students.

The retired educator, though, has been actively involved with the Daily Bread meal program and plans to continue with that.

Evans taught cabinet making and furniture construction at Churchill County High School. Two of his students won national championships, with one going on to compete and represent the United States at the world games in Providence, R.I. His accolades included CCHS Teacher of the Year, Nevada Vocational Teacher of the year and Nevada Skills USA-VICA adviser of the year.

Evans and his wife Barbara have been married for more than 40 years and moved to Fallon from Hawthorne where he taught for five years.

When he sought election in 2012, Evans said he felt the district at that time was going the wrong direction.

“And I’m getting back on the board again, I hope, in order to maybe help redirect,” he said at the time.