Item Coversheet

ALAMEDA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL AGENDA ITEM

Item Title:Candidate Interviews and Selection for Provisional Appointment to Fill Vacant Board Seat (60 Mins/Action)
Item Type:Action
Background:

Following the recent resignation of Board Member Meleah Hall, there is now one vacant seat on the Board of Education. Under California Education Code, the Board had two options for filling the vacancy:

 

  1. Holding a special election, or
  2. Appointing a qualified community member to serve for the remainder of the term.

 

At its September 30th regular meeting, the Board voted unanimously to fill the vacancy through the appointment process. This means the Board will select and appoint a new member to serve until November 2026, when Ms. Hall’s original term would have ended.

 

Applications for the open seat were made available to the public on October 3rd, and were due by 5:00 p.m. on October 13th. A total of six community members applied (listed alphabetically):

 

  1. Joyce Boyd
  2. Tyler Gamble
  3. Carrie Hahnel
  4. Philip Hu
  5. Timothy McQuillan
  6. Evan Schwimmer

 

After confirming that all applicants met the eligibility requirements* to serve, Board President Gary K. Lym reviewed the applications and two candidates were selected to attend Friday's meeting, where they will be interviewed publicly by the current Board.

 

The two candidates selected to be interviewed by the full Board are:

 

  • Carrie Hahnel
  • Joyce Boyd

 

Their applications (personal information is redacted) for the Board vacancy are attached to this agenda.

 

Following opening statements from the candidates, the Board will discuss and deliberate with the goal of selecting one candidate for provisional appointment to the vacant seat.

 

The selected candidate will be officially sworn in at the Board’s regular meeting on November 18, 2025.

 

*  Eligibility to serve includes being a registered voter and resident within the Alameda Unified School District boundaries.

AUSD LCAP Goals:1. Eliminate barriers to student success and maximize learning time.| 2a. Support all students in becoming college and career ready.| 2b. Support all English Learners (ELs) in becoming college and career ready.| 3. Support parent/guardian development as knowledgeable partners and effective advocates for student success.| 4. Ensure that all students have access to basic services.
Fiscal Analysis

Amount (Savings) (Cost):

Recommendation:Other

The Board will interview candidates and take action to select a provisional Board of Education member. The provisional Board member selected will be sworn in at the November 18, 2025 Board of Education meeting. 

AUSD Guiding Principle:#1 - All students have the ability to achieve academic and personal success.| #2 - Teachers must challenge and support all students to reach their highest academic and personal potential.| #3 - Administrators must have the knowledge, leadership skills and ability to ensure student success.| #4 - Parental involvement and community engagement are integral to student success.| #5 - Accountability, transparency, and trust are necessary at all levels of the organization.| #6 - Allocation of funds must support our vision, mission, and guiding principles.| #7 - All employees must receive respectful treatment and professional support to achieve district goals.
Submitted By:Board of Education
ATTACHMENTS:
DescriptionUpload DateType
Board Vacancy Application - Carrie Hahnel (redacted)11/6/2025Backup Material
Board Vacancy Application - Joyce Boyd (redacted)11/13/2025Backup Material