Helena-West Helena school board appoints John Huff Jr. to Zone 2 seat

The Helena-West Helena School Board unanimously appointed John Huff Jr. to the Zone 2 seat at its June 8 meeting, filling the unexpired term left vacant when Troy Bobo died April 12. Huff will serve through 2028.

The vote carried with support from Sandra Bagley, Janice Williams, Loistyne Burrell, Rhonda Reed, Drew Smith and Edward Joshaway. In a district serving 977 students during the 2024 school year, the move restored a full board at a time when every vote carries weight for day-to-day decisions on staffing, facilities, discipline, academic programming and the superintendent’s oversight.

The appointment also matters because of how the district is structured. Ballotpedia lists the Helena-West Helena School District as having seven board members serving five-year terms, and district records identify Bobo as the Zone 2 member whose seat had a one-year initial term and a next election year of 2028. That means Huff’s term will run to the same point the seat would next come before voters, keeping Zone 2 represented through the board’s next regular cycle.

Superintendent Xavier M. Hodo Sr. remains the district’s top administrator, with the board responsible for setting policy and monitoring the work that reaches classrooms in Helena-West Helena. The district office at 305 Valley Drive is the administrative center for that work, and board membership shapes decisions that affect how the system handles finances, personnel and school operations across the district.

Bobo’s death, memorialized in April, marked the opening of the vacancy the board filled last week. His funeral home notice identified him as Deacon Troy Lee Bobo, Sr., born June 14, 1945, with burial scheduled for April 26, 2026. With Huff now seated in Zone 2, the board has moved to keep its governance structure intact for the years ahead.