Nine Candidates Apply for Temporary New Haven Board Seat

From the New Haven Unified School District

Nine people have applied to be considered for a provisional appointment to the New Haven Unified School District Board of Education. Pending a review to confirm their eligibility, the names of the applicants will be announced next week.

The Board is seeking a replacement for member Kevin Harper, who is resigning at the end of the calendar year because he and his wife are moving out of the District. The replacement will serve the remainder of his term, until after the November 2012 election, when the seat will be one of three on the ballot.

The application period closed Thursday. Board President Michelle Matthews and Mr. Harper, in his role as Clerk, will review the applicants to confirm that they are legally eligible to serve, and the names of the eligible applicants will be announced next week, probably Tuesday.

All eligible applicants will be invited to interview before the full Board on Tuesday, Nov. 29. The five sitting Board members will rate each interviewing candidate on answers to both the questions on the application and to questions posed by the Board during the interview. The Board will be given tabulated results and deliberate their choice, then formally vote on the appointment.

The successful candidate will be formally seated in January.