Hennessey Board of Education Vice President Cristopher Choate has resigned his seat on the board.

He did not attend the Monday night, Jan. 9, meeting when his resignation was made public.

“No action is required by the board,” said Superintendent Jason Sternberger.

Choate was first elected to the board in 2014, served as president in 2018 and was later re-elected to the board for a second term.

He and his family have been traveling across the U.S. since early August, which caused him to miss three board meetings, but he did attend the November and December meetings.

There was a comment Monday night that the family was currently in Mississippi.

Choate’s job allows him to work “anywhere,” he told a Times & Free Press reporter before they left on their journey. He is a Hennessey High School graduate and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in business management.

His wife, Kendal (Bregenzer), is a certified teacher, so their children, Adler and Blakely, are able to keep up with their school work in addition to what they’re learning while touring and visiting museums, state capitals, historical sites and monuments, Choate said.

The Choate family have been active at the Hennessey First Baptist Church when they are home and he is a past music director for the church.

They are also supporters of the Friends of the Library.

Replacement on board

Sternberger told board members they have 60 days to name a replacement, which means they need to make an appointment by March 10.

The person they select would have to file for that seat next year and win if they want to continue on the board, he said.

The board held an executive session for about 40 minutes to discuss a replacement, but took no action, but did hire a head football coach.

Cox is hired

The board called Mark Cox into the closed session for about 10 minutes before it came out and voted 4-0 to hire him as HHS head football coach and assistant principal at the high and middle schools.

He replaces Paul Hix as head coach after Hix resigned and accepted a head coaching job at Locust Grove.

Cox lives in Hennessey with his wife, Ginger (HPS treasurer), and daughter, Loren, 6.

He started work at the Hennessey Public Schools in 2006 where he coached and taught for 10 years before he left to become a head coach at Okeene, then for the last few years has been the elementary principal there.

His hiring was reported in the Jan. 8 edition of the Times & Free Press.

( Ed. note: See additional board discussion and action in upcoming editions.)