Coffee County School Board Chairman Thomas Ballard has stepped down from his position on the Board.

Ballard last presided over the Feb. 9 School Board meeting. He was also absent from the Board’s Spring Retreat Work Session. Board Vice Chair Freda K. Jones has served as acting Chair in Ballard’s absence.

The official date of resignation for Ballard given by the County is May 6, 2026.

In an email conversation between Ballard and Coffee County Mayor Dennis Hunt, Ballard cites health issues as his reason for resigning from the School Board. Hunt responded that he will retain Ballard’s email as his official resignation letter.

Hunt also thanked Ballard for his “dedication to the students in Coffee County’s public school system.”

In a statement to the Times, Director of Schools Scott Hargrove referred to Ballard as a “loyal servant” of the Coffee County School District for the past four years. “He has consistently demonstrated a ‘servant’s heart’ and has remained deeply invested in our county throughout his tenure as the chairman of the Coffee County School Board,” wrote Hargrove. “We wish him well and nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”