The Effingham County Board of Education’s first meeting of 2015 began with Beth Helmly and Robert Grant being sworn in.

Probate Judge Beth Rahn Mosley administered the oath of office to Helmly and Grant, who will serve four-year terms on the school board through Dec. 31, 2018.

Grant ran unopposed for the board of education’s District 1 seat. He succeeds Eddie Tomberlin, who did not seek re-election.

Helmly already had been serving as the board’s District 4 representative since June. Helmly defeated three other candidates in the May primary and was then appointed by the board to complete Mose Mock’s term after he stepped down.

Also at the meeting, the school board unanimously re-elected Lamar Allen as chairman and Troy Alford as vice chair.