WALHALLA — Marilyn (Lyn) C. Norton is the newest member of the State Board of Education, representing the Tenth Judicial Circuit. The circuit includes Anderson and Oconee counties and Rick Adkins of Anderson, whose term expired this year is coming off the 17-member board.

State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex serves as secretary and chief administrator for the board, which oversees rules, regulations and standards governing public schools.

State Rep. Bill Sandifer, R-Seneca, said Norton’s selection was unanimous by the Oconee Legislative Delegation that includes Sandifer, who serves as the delegation’s chairman; state Rep. Bill Whitmire, R-Walhalla, and state Senator Thomas Alexander, R-Walhalla.

Norton is a retired educator who served as the principal at Seneca Middle School and was director of staff development for the School District of Oconee County, the county’s largest employer with more than 1,600 staff and teachers.

“One thing she will have to deal with of course is funding issues,” Rep. Sandifer said. “Her experience both in the field of education as well as government equips her particularly well to guide the state board.”

Norton served as mayor of Seneca. She and her husband Bruce, a retired textile mill manager, are long-time residents of Seneca.

Norton is a member of the Seneca Presbyterian Church, Seneca Rotary Club, the United Way of Oconee County board of directors and Safe Harbor, a battered woman’s shelter, advisory board.

The legislative delegations of Anderson and Oconee counties alternate selecting the representative on the state school board.