A new-look Bulloch County Board of Education met Thursday to welcome recent additions and kickoff 2013.
In all, four members of the eight-person board were sworn into office — including two new faces — while a returning member was named the board’s next vice-chairman.
The meeting was a first for Cheri Wagner (District-1) and LeVon Wilson (District-3), who were officially inducted into office by Bulloch County Probate Judge Lee Deloach.
Wagner and Wilson were elected during the General Election Primary last year, and will take over for resigning board members David Ball (District-1) and Edwin Hill (District-3). 
The new board members, along with returning administrators Mike Herndon (District-7) and Maurice Hill (District-8), were administered a “Loyalty Oath” and an official oath of office by Deloach, before taking their seats and moving on with business.
Wagner, a long-time nurse and mother of a son who attends a Bulloch County school, said she looks forward to learning what the position will bring and tackling issues head-on.
“I am very excited to be on the board and to start serving,” she said. “I plan to be objective and listen to both sides, and all voices, in regard to the issues. I will make the best decisions I can make based on the facts.”
Wilson, an attorney and professor of legal studies at Georgia Southern University, said he is eager to get started.
“I am ready to get my feet wet. I want to learn the landscape and get a feel for the different processes in place,” he said. “I will collaboratively approach board deliberations with level-headed reasoning and a view toward ensuring that the best interests of our students are served.”
New members aren’t the only change for the Bulloch BOE in 2013.
The board voted to fill the Chairman and Vice-Chairman positions on the panel.
Hill was elected Chairman for a second consecutive year, but will have a different colleague by his side.
Herndon was chosen as the board’s vice-chair, succeeding veteran board member Mike Sparks (District-2).
In other business Thursday, the board recognized several students for extracurricular accomplishments and approved a 2013-14 school calendar.
The Bulloch County Board of Education will host its next regular session Thursday, Feb. 7.

Jeff Harrison may be reached at (912) 489-9454.