The president of the Seminole Public School Board announced this week that she will be stepping down in early October.

Linda Hampton, who was elected in February 2017, read a letter of resignation to her fellow board members during a regularly scheduled board meeting held Tuesday evening. She cited family medical reasons for her decision.

“Upcoming family medical reasons have led up to this very difficult decision to step down from the board,” Hampton stated. Her resignation will be effective at the end of the next regular meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 11.

Hampton filed for the board seat in late 2016 following then Board President Jack Cadenhead’s announcement that he would not be seeking reelection. She handily won the Feb. 14, 2017 election, claiming 72 percent of the votes cast in a four-way race. Other candidates included Jerry Callahan, Steven Choate and Rebecca Leonard.

“I have decided to run for the Seminole School Board based on my belief that each of us should be willing to give back to our community, especially in areas about which we are passionate,” Hampton said at the time of her filing. “For me it’s public education. My entire career has been dedicated to making the future better for public school students and staff. Serving on the Seminole School Board would be an opportunity to continue that work.”

Hampton, a graduate of Holdenville High School, obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from East Central University and spent 34 years teaching at Pleasant Grove. She served two years as state vice president of the Oklahoma Education Association and two years as the association’s state president. Hampton was also on the National Education Association Board of Directors for six years.

In 2012, Hampton joined then Vice President Joe Biden and 8,000 education leaders from across the nation at the National Education Association Representative Assembly in Washington, D.C. She was selected to sit on stage with Biden as he made a speech.

According to Superintendent Dr. Bob Gragg, a new board member will be appointed to fill the remainder of Hampton’s term, which runs through April 2022.