Ore City ISD Board of Trustees

Ore City ISD "Team of 8", from left: Jeremy Higginbotham (Trustee); Matthew A. Pearson (Trustee); Bobby Clawson (Trustee); Tracy Berryman (Board Vice President); Lynn Heflin (Superintendent of Schools); Virginia Harris (Board Secretary); Chris Barton (Trustee); Bobby Byrd (Board President). 

Welcome to Ore City ISD!

The Board of Trustees of Ore City Independent School District sets the vision for the district and the decisions they make at their monthly meetings make a difference for our schools.

A district is governed by a board of trustees who, as a body corporate, shall oversee the management of the district and ensure that the superintendent implements and monitors plans, procedures, programs, and systems to achieve appropriate, clearly defined, and desired results in the major areas of district operations. (Texas Education Code 11.051(a)).

The OCISD Board of Trustees welcomes you to our district website. Thank you for your support and Go Rebels!

Current Board Members and Terms

Chris Barton Trustee (Current Term 2020-2023) Chris Barton has worked in Patient Access for Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center for 10 years. He is a 1987 graduate of Ore City High School. Following his graduation from OCHS he continued his education at Kilgore College and at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, majoring in Music Education with an emphasis in Saxophone and Voice. Chris moved back to Ore City in 2019 after having lived in Charlotte, NC, for five years and then in Longview for 10 years. He has lifelong ties to the Ore City Independent School District. His grandfather served on the OCISD school board that started Ore City High School in 1962 and his grandmother made the first school flag. In addition to his grandparents' involvement with OCISD, his mother, aunt, and brother are also OCHS graduates. Chris' mother was a teacher in OCISD for 36 years. Chris bleeds Black and Gold and has remained a loyal supporter of Ore City schools throughout the years.

Tracy Berryman Board Vice President (Current Term 2022-2025) Tracy Berryman has been a proud member of the Ore City community her entire life, graduating from Ore City High School in 1998. As of the 2022-2023 school year Tracy has served on the OCISD Board of Trustees for nine years, and thoroughly enjoys serving on the board to be involved in the community, the public education system and with teachers working toward a great education experience for Ore City students. Tracy loves being a part of our small town! Tracy has two children, a son who graduated from OCHS in 2019 and a daughter currently a student in Ore City.

Bobby Byrd Board President (Current Term 2022-2025) Bobby Byrd has been an Accountant/Financial Manager in the private sector for over 25 years. He is a graduate of Longview High School and Stephen F. Austin State University. Bobby is married to Darbie (Pine Tree HS/University of North Texas grad) and the Byrds have two children: Brett, a 2022 graduate of Ore City High School attending Hendrix College in Arkansas playing college football while pursuing Pre-Med studies; and Brooke, who is in her freshman year at OCHS. "Serving on the OCISD Board of Trustees is a badge of pride for me as we try to do all we can to help enhance the betterment of our community," Bobby says.

Bobby Clawson Trustee (Current Term 2021-2024) Bobby and Mary Clawson are both graduates of New Diana ISD and have made their home in and raised their children in Ore City. Tammy, Bobby Lee and his wife Rita are all graduates of OCISD. Grandchildren Katherine and Payton Myers and Morgan Clawson are proud graduates of OCHS and Mason Clawson will graduate in 2023. Rita Clawson and Morgan Clawson are also employees in OCISD. Bobby is retired from Lone Star Steel after a 35-year career. He has been a member of the OCISD Board of Trustees since 2012. Bobby says that "serving on the Board of Trustees is a wonderful privilege, contributing to the success of students, working with the district and with the community as partners in education."

Virginia Harris Board Secretary (Current Term 2022-2025) Virginia Harris, also known as "Ginger," is a 1964 graduate of Daingerfield High School and attended one year at Kilgore College. She met her husband, Elwin Harris, while attending Kilgore and the couple was married the following year. They have two children. Their son, Michael, is a 1984 graduate of Ore City High School and lives in Houston with his wife, Martha. Michael and Martha have a daughter, Amber, who is 28 and a graduate of Texas A&M. Daughter Tammy Harris Ferguson is a 1986 graduate of OCHS and also a graduate of East Texas Baptist University. She and husband Jeff Ferguson have one daughter, Waddison, who is teaching school in Arlington ISD.Waddison has a son, Bates, who is 6, and a daughter, Emma, who is 5. Virginia Harris has served in OCISD in some capacity since 1970, starting out as a substitute teacher, PE teacher, PTA secretary, Rebel Club secretary/treasurer and Head Start Coordinator. Upon retirement, she still wanted to serve the students of Ore City so she ran for school board where she now serves proudly. Virginia states that she is "here for all school personnel, students and faculty, but best of all the Ore City Rebels!"

Jeremy Higginbotham Trustee (Current Term 2021-2024) Jeremy Higginbotham is a 1996 graduate of Ore City High School. He and his wife, Amy, have two daughters: Madison and Abigail, both of whom also graduated from Ore City as well. Amy grew up and graduated high school in Clovis, NM. After graduating from OCHS, Jeremy attended Wayland Baptist University and received his college degree. He and his family returned to Ore City in 2002, where he now serves as a police officer in the Longview Police Department while Amy works at Texas Bank and Trust. "I have wanted to serve on the school board because I enjoy serving the students," he says. "I like being able to play an integral role in how the school can help our students and their future."

Matthew A. Pearson Trustee (Current Term 2020-2023) Matthew Pearson has served as an Ore City ISD trustee since 2019. He has been a Project Estimator at Kirby Supply since 2008, and is also a graduate of Ore City High School. He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force. Matthew and his wife, Amy, have five children. One child is a 2018 graduate of OCHS, with two others still in school in OCISD. Matthew has been a proud member of the Ore City community his entire life. "I want to ensure that the children and staff are set up for success in all challenges of life," he says.

Board Documents & Policies

• Ore City ISD Board Policy Manual

Attachments:

A PDF Reader is required to view PDF documents. If you do not have one installed, you may download the FREE Adobe Reader here.

A PowerPoint Viewer is required to view PowerPoint documents. If you do not have one installed, you may download the FREE PowerPoint Viewer here.