The vacant school board seat for the Prestwood Elementary area has yet to attract any applicants.
But school Superintendent Louann Carlomagno expects that to change after the Sonoma Valley Unified School District holds an information night for potential applicants from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12.
Carlomagno said she’s had four calls about the seat, which was vacated earlier this month when longtime board member Helen Marsh stepped down.
“I’ve very hopeful that we will have a strong candidate pool,” Carlomagno said.
In the past, candidates have had to pick up an application at the district offices, but since the application is available online, it’s difficult to know if anyone has downloaded one, Carlomagno said.
At the hour-long informational might, potential candidates will learn about the job description and time commitments, board norms, expectations and what to expect at the March 10 school board meeting when the board will interview the candidates in open session and then vote on its choice – also in open session.
“We’re going to provide the candidates with questions ahead of time,” Carlomagno said.
Candidates for the vacancy must live in the Prestwood attendance area and be a registered voter.
“I have information posted on our website (svusdca.org), have sent press releases and have asked (Prestwood Principal) Jason Sutter to send home a communication to all Prestwood parents,” Carlomagno said.
The deadline for filing an application is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20.
Marsh and current board president Nicole Ducarroz (Dunbar) were the last two school board members to actually be elected to their seats – and that was in 2004. Dan Gustafson (Flowery) and Gary DeSmet (Sassarini) assumed their seats by being the only person to file.
The last time the board appointed someone in mid-term was in September 2012, when it named Sal Chavez to the El Verano seat replacing Cam Hawing who stepped down. When Chavez was appointed, five people originally filed but two backed out prior to the interview and a third candidate didn’t live in the El Verano attendance area.
The person named to the seat would serve the remainder of Marsh’s term, which is December 2016.
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