Jim Hopkins

Born: Baltimore, Maryland, 1940
Wife: Patricia B Twyman

Residence: 135 Green Street, Locust Grove, VA 22508.
Moved to Lake of the Woods in 1994 from Alexandria, VA.

Education: Jim received a Master of Education degree from the University of Maryland, with an additional thirty hours of postgraduate credits in mathematics and computer science.

Occupation: Jim was a high school music and mathematics teacher for thirty years (1964-1994). Before retirement, he began a second career as a computer programmer with a series of contracts with the Army Research Institute in Alexandria, VA.  When he moved to Lake of the Woods, he fulfilled computer programming contracts for fifteen years and currently provides professional computer assistance to organizations and individuals within the community.

Civic Activities: Jim is a member of the Blue Run Baptist Church and the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. He has served on numerous Lake of the Woods committees and was for many years the President of the Civic Club of Lake of the Woods.  He is currently Vice President of the Stage Alive Community Concert Association and a board member of Friends of Lake of the Woods.  Jim is a recipient, from the Lake of the Woods Association, of the "Warren J Lodge Award for Excellence" in recognition of his outstanding community service.  Jim served on the Orange County School Board for sixteen years (2008-2023) and was Chair of the Blue Ridge Virginia Governor's School Joint School Board.  The Governor's School is a four year program for talented and gifted students in grades 9-12 and serves over 600 students from seven counties.

Objectives: Jim believes in the value of a public school system dedicated to serving and teaching all children.  Many of our Orange County taxes go to support the public schools.  The School Board is responsible for seeing that these funds are spent prudently and in line with the community's interests.  It was a privilege to serve on the Orange County School Board, as he worked with the other school board members to improve our school system.  This includes encouraging and supporting the administration and teachers to provide a quality education for all students.