Linda Steed and Wyman Botts were sworn in as members of the Pike County Board of Education Monday night by Pike County Probate Judge Wes Allen.

Together, the board members have 38 years of service to the children of Pike County.

Following the swearing in ceremony Steed began her 27th year on the board and Botts his 13th.

Steed served 13 of those years as director and officer of the Alabama School Board Association. Two of those years were as association president.

“If I can help make a difference in the lives of our children, then all of the time and effort are worthwhile,” she said. “We are making an investment in our children and they are our future.”

Botts said that his service is a way that he can give back to his hometown community.

“The Pike County Schools were good to me when I was a student,” he said. “When I retired and moved back to Pike County, serving on the board of education was a way that I could give back.”

Both Steed and Botts ran unopposed in the 2010 election. They, laughingly, said that obviously nobody else wanted the job.

“But investing in our children’s future is very rewarding,” Steed said.

Working from a short agenda, Dr. Mark Bazzell, school superintendent, said that First National Bank offered the lowest interest rate for the school bus purchase. He also reported that the Pike County Schools have two notes totaling $1.2 million at First National Bank and Troy Bank and Trust.

“We can restructure those loans and save about $60,000 over the life of the notes,” he told the board members. “We will talk with the banks to determine the lowest interest rates available to us.”

In personnel action, the board approved maternity leave for Valorie Stroud, Oct. 18 through Dec. 17 and for Jennifer Rhodes from Feb. 1, 2011 through March 14. The board also approved Eujon Anderson as a volunteer basketball coach at Goshen High School.