Josh Sikes to Resign Position on GIPS Board of Education 

 

GRAND ISLAND (Neb.) — After nearly three years of committed service, Josh Sikes intends to resign from the Grand Island Public Schools (GIPS) Board of Education as he and his family will be moving.

With a new professional opportunity on the horizon, Sikes will be leaving the Grand Island community and with it, his seat on the Board.  While the goodbye is bittersweet Sikes remains grateful for the opportunity to serve. 

“It has been an honor representing Ward A as I served the families and students of GIPS.” Sikes said. 

Josh Sikes served as a Student Minister at Third City Church for 23 years.  Throughout that time, his family were active in GIPS as their three children all attended district schools and graduated from Grand Island Senior High (GISH). 

Joining the Board in 2023, Sikes has been a consistent voice of student and staff support.  Serving on the Public Relations & Partner Development and Policy Committees he found pride in being able to serve both GIPS and the community as a leader and volunteer.  In addition to holding a Ward A seat on the Board, Josh also served as Chaplain for the GISH Football Team. 

Matt Fisher, GIPS Superintendent, acknowledged the commitment and positive impact Sikes has brought to the Board and the district. 

“Mr. Sikes has been an excellent board member during the time he has served.” Fisher shared, “His insightful thinking and commitment to student success have been a real benefit to our district.  His leadership in this role will be missed and he and his family will be missed in our community.” 

Grand Island Public Schools is grateful to Josh Sikes for his years of dedicated service to the district’s students, staff, and families. 

Going forward, GIPS will look to fill the vacant Ward A seat on the Board of Education to complete the year of the term which ends in December 2026. 

What will the process look like? 

The Board will accept Sikes’ resignation at the regular Board meeting on Thursday, January 8th, 2026.  From that point, the Board has a legal obligation to fill the vacancy within 45 days. 

After the resignation is formally accepted, a public listing of the vacancy and application will be posted on the GIPS website Board of Education page. 

Qualified candidates from the community are encouraged to consider the opportunity to fill this volunteer position in support of public education and the students of Grand Island Public Schools. Patrons interested in being considered for the appointment must be a:

Resident of the GIPS school district
Reside within Ward A
Be a qualified registered voter

Completed applications must be received in the superintendent’s office by a specific deadline.  The deadline will most likely be in early February.  More details will be confirmed when the vacancy is formally announced after the Board’s acceptance of the resignation. 

The Board will likely interview applicants during their regular board meeting on February 12th, 2026.  The appointee would be selected following the interviews. The newly appointed board member would then take the oath of office at the following Board meeting on March 16th, 2026. 

The newly appointed Board Member representing Ward A will serve from March - December 2026.  As it is an election year for this specific Board seat, the individual will have the opportunity to choose to run in the upcoming GIPS Board of Education Election in the coming Fall. 

A formal vacancy announcement will be published on January 8th, 2026 after the Board meeting.