GIPS Board Appoints Dr. Kent Mann to Vacant Ward A Seat

GRAND ISLAND (Neb.) — A new but not unfamiliar face will be joining the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education.

On Thursday, February 12, 2026, the GIPS Board interviewed four candidates and voted to appoint Dr. Kent Mann for the vacant Ward A seat.  

On January 8th 2026, the GIPS Board accepted the resignation of Board Member Josh Sikes.  Mr. Sikes' new professional opportunities found his family relocating to a different community, rendering his Ward A seat on the Board vacant.

After a period of public notice and advertising for the Ward A vacancy, the GIPS Board accepted qualified applications.  The qualifications included:  Must be a resident of the school district, and reside within Ward A, and be a qualified registered voter.

At Thursday's regular meeting, the GIPS Board interviewed the full field of qualified applicants which included four candidates:

Amber Harper 
Dr. Sarah Loudy 
Dr. Kenton Mann 
Ralae Noorlander 

Amber Harper is a Ward A, Grand Island, resident and serves as a Network Service Coordinator at the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. Dr. Sarah Loudy is a Ward A, Grand Island, resident and serves as a Biological Sciences Instructor at Central Community College. Dr. Kenton Mann is a Ward A, Grand Island, resident, a retired public school educator and administrator and has served as a Professor of Practice at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Ralae Noorlander is a Ward A, Grand Island, resident and has worked in the GIPS district as a substitute teacher. 

After a formal, public interview, discussion, and voting process, the GIPS Board voted to appoint Dr. Mann at the regular meeting on Thursday, February 12th, 2026. 

Reflecting on the opportunity, Dr. Mann shared:

“I am very humbled, honored, and excited to be appointed to serve Ward A on the Board of Education.  I look forward to returning to the district and to serving Grand Island Public Schools in this role.”

Dr. Mann has been a fixture in public education carrying over 40 years of experience as a Teacher, Principal, Superintendent, and Collegiate Educator.  Familiar to Grand Island Public Schools, Dr. Mann most notably served a successful tenure as Principal of Grand Island Senior High for 19 years. 

The term served will be March - December 2026 as that will carry out the rest of Josh Sikes’ original term.  He will also have the opportunity to file to run for a full term on the Board in the upcoming election which takes place later this year. 

Dr. Mann will be sworn in as the new Ward A Board representative on Monday, March 16, 2026, during the regular Board Meeting.

With the new appointment in place in March, the Grand Island Public Schools Board will be back at full capacity with all nine representative seats filled. 

Live stream playback of the public interviews of each candidate may be found on the GIPS website here.  For more information on the GIPS Board of Education, visit https://www.gips.org/about-us/board-of-education.