BY STACI WILSON
Two new Blue Ridge school directors were appointed by the board to fill vacancies at the Monday, Dec. 12 meeting.
Lavone Lewis, of Jackson Twp., was tapped by the board to fill the Region 3B seat (Jackson Twp.)
Lewis takes the seat previously held by longtime board member Joel Whitehead, who did not seek reelection and although he won the seat by write-in votes in November declined the position.
Lewis said she saw joining the board as an opportunity to be a part of her children’s school.
She also said that as a board member she would like to see students’ test scores improve, watch out for district finances and work to bring Blue Ridge cyber and charter school students back into the school.
Board member John Ketchur cast the only dissenting vote against Lewis’ nomination. Members Christina Whitney, Christina Cosmello, Harold Empett, Cindy Gaughan, Alan Hall and Laurie Bonner voted in favor of Lewis.
Former board member Cindy Gillespie will take over the Region 2 seat which represents the boroughs of Hallstead andGreat Bend.
Gillespie replaces commissioner-elect Alan Hall who tendered his Dec. 13 resignation from the board in November.
Gillespie told the board she would like to see the district remain in good financial shape and said education was her first priority.
She said that she would like to look at “the whole picture” and all the available options to keep sports and arts programs going in the district.
Gillespie’s nomination received two dissenting votes. Ketchur and Shane Rumage voted against her nomination. Votes in favor of Gillespie were cast by Whitney, Cosmello, Empett, Hall, Gaughan and Bonner.
A total of five candidates submitted applications to fill the two vacancies – two from Region 3B and three from Region 2.
Board president Laurie Bonner questioned the candidates on behalf of the board.
The applicants were asked to speak about their strengths and experience as well as goals they had for the district.
They were also asked to address what they saw as strengths and weaknesses ofBlue Ridge.
In addition to Lewis and Gillespie, other candidates included Kathy Ashby (Jackson); and Christopher Lewis and Alan Wilmarth (Hallstead/Great Bend boroughs).
The next regular business meeting will be held Jan. 9, 2012,7:30 p.m., in the school cafeteria.
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