Politics

Norman, Kustin, Beaver win School Board seats as voters oust Dale

By Amy McCraw, Published: November 4, 2026

With all precincts reporting shortly after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, unofficial election results showed Republican incumbent Alyssa Norman leading in the race for Henderson County School Board.

Results also showed Democrat Mary Ellen Kustin and Republican Randy Beaver following Norman in the race that installs those three on the board.
Voters here haven’t elected a Democrat in a partisan countywide election since Tax Collector Terry Lyda won his last re-election campaign in 2002.
Kustin on Wednesday said she was grateful to the people of Henderson County who voted for her regardless of party affiliation.
“I am really humbled and honored by the number of people who put their trust in me, and I’m honored to serve,” she said.
Kustin, who ran unsuccessfully for the school board in two previous races, said she is excited to get to work on the board. Making sure children are ready for kindergarten is a priority, she said.
Norman said on Wednesday that she was excited to earn her second term on the board and thankful that voters approved of the job she has done over the last four years.
“I’m genuinely honored that Henderson County put their trust in me,” she said.
Norman said she is eager to get back to work on the board to “keep up the good work we’ve been doing.”
Beaver on Wednesday also thanked voters for having confidence in him.
“I’m feeling very optimistic. We are going to have a good few years and get things done,” he said.
Beaver said he plans to spend some time addressing his “learning curve” on the board. Once he learns the proper procedures for how the board works, Beaver said he would like to focus on how to best respond to the population growth in Henderson County and how it relates to the need for more space for students.
“We have to start looking at schools expanding and updating,” he said.
Republican incumbent Sheila Dale, rocked by the disclosure that she had bailed her nephew out of jail on child-sex abuse charges while posing as an anti-trafficking advocate herself, finished fourth in the school board race followed by Democrat Reid J. Barwick.
Norman received 29,161 votes or 21.19 percent of the vote with Kustin earning 28, 561 or 20.75 percent of the vote while Beaver received 26,633 votes or 19.35 percent of the vote.
Dale received 26,479 votes or 19.24 percent of the vote followed by Barwick with 25,686 votes or 18.66 percent of the vote.
Kustin, 42, holds a master’s degree in public policy and spent her career in the nonprofit sector and is the Director of Community Impact at United Way of Henderson County. Kustin said she ran for the school board because she wants to make sure children in Henderson County have the support they need to thrive - from retaining high-quality educators to partnering with more local farmers to provide healthy lunches. She said she wants to make sure the county properly invests in public education.
Norman holds a bachelor's degree in nursing and has worked as a registered nurse in the county for nine years. She is the daughter of former Henderson County Commissioner Daniel Andreotta and a parent of two children. Norman was first elected to the school board in 2022. She is a lifelong Henderson County resident and graduate of local public schools.
Beaver tells visitors to his Facebook page that he is a 17-year Henderson County resident, local contractor, and proud public-school dad. He said he ran for the school board to help strengthen schools, raise academic standards and ensure every student receives an excellent education.
Barwick, 75, earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and history from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree from the University of Central Florida. He retired from a career in hospitality procurement and logistics.
Dale drew fire and calls for her resignation in the wake of a Hendersonville Lightning report that she had signed a bond freeing her nephew from jail while he awaited trial on 12 charges of statutory sex offense with a child.
As the story circulated widely on social media, candidates, community members and the victim himself urged Dale to resign and called for accountability from the school board.
Dale posted a $62,500 bond for Christopher Raymond Smith, 46, on Sept. 15, 2025, after Smith was charged with 12 counts of statutory sex offense with a child involving a 14-year-old junior firefighter he had groomed at the Etowah-Horse Shoe firehouse.
Smith was subsequently convicted of 12 counts of rape of a child and sentenced to 60 years in prison, court records show.