Panel narrows field for School Board seat

March 07, 2003|by PEPPER BALLARD

The field was narrowed to six contenders for the seventh vacant School Board seat Wednesday after the screening panel scored ten applicants.

Washington County Board of Education Screening Panel Chairwoman B. Marie Byers said the seven-member panel will conduct four interviews Wednesday, March 12 and two interviews Monday, March 17, to narrow the applicants to three nominees.

"We wish we had more than one vacancy to fill because they are all of high caliber," she said.

Byers said the panel will send three nominations to Gov. Robert Ehrlich, who ultimately will decide who takes the seventh seat.

She said responses to application essay questions were the determining factor in narrowing the number of contestants.

The Wednesday meeting also was used to brainstorm 12 interview questions to be asked of applicants next week.

She said all applicants have been encouraged to run in the 2004 School Board election.

The seven-member screening committee is Byers, Washington County Commissioner Jim Kercheval, former School Board member Jan Cirincione, School Board President Bernadette Wagner, Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce member Philip Kelly, Washington County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations President Scott Nicewarner and Washington County Citizens Advisory Committee Chairperson Gary Nally.

The vacancy opened when former School Board member Doris Nipps was elected as a Washington County commissioner in November. With two years left in her term, she had to resign from her School Board post in December to take her new position.

|

|

|