Former principal and assistant superintendent Terry Payne will return to Kingfisher Public Schools in a new role next month when he is officially seated on the school board.

Payne carried 443 (64.02%) of the total 692 votes cast in Tuesday night’s school board election to 249 (35.98%) for incumbent Mike Copeland, a 1981 KHS graduate who is completing his second term on the board (10 total years of service).

Payne, a former teacher, previously served as Gilmour Elementary School principal and then assistant superintendent at KPS, before answering a call to pastor Kingfisher Lifeway Church.

He led a growing congregation from their initial meeting place at 89er Theater through the construction of a new building which is now the church’s home on South 13th Street.

Payne and his wife Tanya have three sons who graduated from Kingfisher High School and now have two grandsons in the school system.

“I’m very excited about the future and direction of this great school system,” Payne told the Times & Free Press Tuesday night. “I’m looking forward to working with the other board members as we make important decisions that are best for the kids.

“I want to thank everyone who supported me. It’s an honor to serve at the school again.’

Voting By Precinct

Precinct 101 – Copeland 98; Payne, 199.

Precinct 102 – Copeland 22; Payne 28.

Precinct 103 – Copeland 24; Payne 29.

Precinct 301 – Copeland 95; Payne 181.

Precinct 303 – Copeland 0; Payne 2.

Precinct 305 – Copeland 10; Payne 4.

OTHER SCHOOL RESULTS

Cashion – Christopher Gibson was elected with 64.87% (205 votes) to 35.13% for Chuck Kordis in the district, which included votes cast in Logan and Canadian counties. The race was a little tighter in Kingfisher County, where Gibson carried 101 of the votes cast (60.12%) and 67 voted for Kordis (39.88%).

Dover – The 34 district patrons who participated divided their votes evenly between incumbent Pearl Kale, who died a month before the election, and challenger Casey Gene Wilkerson. (See related story).