In a unanimous vote, the Melissa ISD Board of Trustees appointed two new members at the regularly scheduled monthly board meeting on Monday, June 12, 2023. Darren Thompson and Quentin Thomason will fill the Place 3 and Place 4 vacancies formerly held by Rusty Cox and Jason Granger, who stepped down in the spring after seven years of service.
Following the resignations of Mr. Cox and Mr. Granger, the remaining trustees of Melissa ISD interviewed and evaluated eight individuals who expressed interest in serving on the school board. A collective, unified decision by the trustees was made to appoint Mr. Thompson and Mr. Thomason to serve the remainder of the current terms for Place 3 and Place 4, respectively, with both places up for re-election in May 2024.
Pictured above: Darren Thompson (left) and Quentin Thomason (right).
Darren Thompson, Place 3
Darren Thompson is a native Texan who moved to Melissa in 2020 with his wife, Hope, and their three children, all of whom are Melissa Cardinals. In addition to serving on the Melissa ISD Career and Technical Education (CTE) committee, he enjoys being a “Cheer Dad” by supporting the varsity cheerleading squad with the tunnel run at football games and volunteering at other school activities. As the son of a special education professional, Mr. Thompson has held lifelong compassion for special education teachers and the students they support.
Having earned his bachelor’s degree from Prairie View A&M University, Mr. Thompson works as a collaboration technology engineer and holds both teamwork and servant leadership in high regard.
"When I brought my family to Melissa, my number one mission was to get intimately familiar with the folks I was going to trust a significant portion of my children’s development with,” shared Mr. Thompson. “What I discovered was an abundance of passion, love, and high expectations that immediately turned me from a watcher to a partner. I found small opportunities to contribute my time and expertise, and then, this ultimate opportunity to serve our Cardinals alongside this amazing administration we have been blessed with. It is an extraordinary honor to serve and protect the quality and integrity of Melissa Schools."
Quentin Thomason, Place 4
Quentin Thomason and his wife, Angela, moved to Melissa in 2020 with their son and two daughters. He serves as a parent volunteer at Harry McKillop Elementary where his daughters attend school, and he plays the guitar on the worship team at City Church.
Having earned his bachelor’s degree from Lewis-Clark State College and his master’s degree from Arizona State University, Mr. Thomason works as a certified project management professional.
“I look forward to the collaboration with district leadership and will strive to approach my appointment to the Board of Trustees as a responsibility to make a positive difference for the students,” shared Mr. Thomason. “As a parent and invested member of the community myself, I will focus on working together to keep this district at the highest level of quality for all of our families.”
For more information about the Melissa ISD Board of Trustees, visit www.melissaisd.org/board.