Trey Pippin and Tammy McCubbins Rice will be new faces on the Daviess County Public Schools Board of Education, while Frank Riney has retained his seat.
Pippin was elected to the DCPS Board of Education’s 5th District seat, receiving 2,176 votes. He said his victory over incumbent Dale Stewart, who earned 1,570 votes, and Timothy Hicks, who garnered 1,124, marked the culmination of months of hard work and dedication.
Pippin expressed gratitude for the community’s support of his vision, which he described as a “future-ready education” for DCPS students.
“I’m really honored by what the community said about voting for me and their willingness to believe in the vision that I’m putting forward for Daviess County Public Schools,” Pippin said. “It seems the community has agreed with that vision, and I’m grateful.”
Reflecting on the election process, Pippin acknowledged the challenges of running for office but encouraged others to step forward.
“It’s a challenge to run for office, and sometimes it’s discouraging that people don’t step up because it’s a lot of hard work, but I feel like I put a lot of work into it,” he said. “I’m just so thankful for those people who helped me. My encouragement for people is that it’s not impossible, and I would encourage you to step up and do what’s right.”
Pippin also spoke about the symbolic significance of voting at Audubon Elementary School, where he first attended school during his first election run.
“It was just a symbolic kind of moment for me, as I have now run for my first office and was able to cast my vote for myself there where my background and roots came from,” he said.
Pippin’s plans for the board include focusing on educational opportunities that prepare students for the future, emphasizing that his commitment extends beyond his district to benefit the entire community.
“I’m dedicated to making sure we are giving new educational opportunities that focus on the future for our kids,” he said.
Rice was the only candidate listed on the ballot but did face a write-in candidate in Dianne Burns Mackey. Rice moved to Owensboro in 1988 with her husband. She taught college classes in speech communication as an adjunct instructor. She became a full-time instructor at Owensboro Community & Technical College in 2002 and retired as an associate professor in 2020.
Rice is looking forward to continuing a career in the education field.
“I’m honored to be elected to represent District 3 on the Daviess County School Board of Education. Having been an educator for over 40 years, I am grateful for this opportunity,” she said. “I look forward to working hard to ensure our Daviess County schools continue to thrive.”
Rice said she is eager to get started and is confident she can make a positive impact in the community.
“I don’t have any specific policies to address or an agenda,” she said. “With my education and years of experience, I am confident that I can make a positive impact on the future of Daviess County Schools.”
Riney ran unopposed for the 4th District seat. He’s already the longest-running school board member in Kentucky and will continue to extend that streak.
“I feel like I’ve had great community support,” he said. “I’ve tried to represent the community’s interest with my service. I think I’ve built great relationships with the community.”
The completion of the renovations to Apollo High School and the relocation of the Central Office are two projects he’s excited to continue to oversee, but Riney said he main focus is the education of students.
“To me, education is a great way to do public service,” he said. “There’s nothing more important we can do for our future and our young folks’ future than giving them the education they need because it’s going to be more critical as time goes on.”
