Applications Being Accepted for School Board Seat

Any qualified individual who wishes to fill the empty seat on the Berkeley school board may submit an application by April 15, the Berkeley Unified School District has announced.

The vacancy on the five-member board follows the March 31 resignation of board President Leah Wilson. Wilson has been named to be Court Executive Officer of the Alameda County Superior Court and resigned from the school board due to "future potential conflicts of interest," the school district said in an earlier announcement.

City and state law allows the board to fill a vacancy either through a special election or by appointment. The board chose to go with an appointment and decided on the process and timeline at its meeting last week.

Those who wish to apply may obtain the instructions and form from the district website. A cover letter attached to the application cautions that the job demands a time commitment.

"Serving on the Board is a responsibility that requires a significant personal commitment of time to prepare for school board meetings," says the letter. "Regular board meetings are held on Wednesday three times a month, with occasional special meetings called. Additional time is also required due to various committee appointments, duties as school liaisons, being accessible to the public, as well as the possibility of attending local, state, and/or national meetings."

The application includes nine questions that ask the reason for wanting to serve, priorities for the district and qualifications and experience, among other topics. Answers can be be p to 200 words each.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. on April 15 and can be viewed at the superintendent's office beginning April 19. The board will determine a list of finalists, each of whom will have a chance to address the board for three minutes at a special May 1 meeting.

If no selection is made at the May 1 meeting, it will be placed on the agenda of the regular board meeting on May 8.

Update on superintendent search

The district is also working on filling another top leadership post – that of superintendent. In an update issued Friday, the district said the board is "moving forward to screen, interview, and hire the District’s next superintendent."

The board has incorporated community feedback into the screening criteria, the district notice said. A total of 70 people applied for the position, and the board narrowed the pool down to six semi-finalists to be interviewed, according to the district.

The "finalist interviews and candidate vetting" are taking place this month, the district said.