With the recent resignation former Board Vice President Megan Sweet on October 26th, there is currently a vacant seat on the Board of Education. Education Code gives the Board two options for filling the vacant seat: calling a special election, or appointing an applicant. At its Special meeting on November 3rd, the Board voted unanimously to use the appointment method to make a provisional appointment of a new Board member who will fill former Board Vice President Sweet's vacancy on the Board until the end of her term, which is November, 2024.

Applications for the vacant seat were made available to the public on November 6th. Applications were due back by 5pm on December 6th. Eleven people applied for the position. The eleven candidates are (in alphabetical order):

1. Joyce Boyd
2. Lee Conway
3. Marnie Curry
4. Dan Hurst
5. Shulin Lin
6. Barb McClung
7. David Nelsen
8. Elena Rivkin
9. Margie Sherratt
10. Jeff Smith
11. Alanna (Alex) Spehr

At a Special Board meeting held on December 8th:

• Candidates who attended the in-person meeting gave a three-minute opening statement.

• Each candidate answered a question posed by the Board. 
• Board President Heather Little provided an opportunity for public comment.

Tonight:

• The Board will discuss and deliberate with the hope of coming to a consensus on a candidate to be appointed as a provisional Board member.
• The provisional Board member will be sworn in at the Board's January 9th meeting.