A special school board meeting was to be held Tuesday to interview candidates for the vacant Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education seat.
The meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, in the Kenai Peninsula Borough Betty J. Glick Assembly Chambers.
The four applicants for the District 6 vacancy — which covers the eastern peninsula — are Shawn Butler, Katie Hamilton, Heather Lindquist and Virginia Morgan.
Butler has lived in Hope since 2002, according to her school board candidate application. Her top three priorities as a school board member would be to achieve the highest quality education possible for all students in the borough within the budget constraints imposed on the school district, increase opportunities with trade schools and improve outreach to small and/or more remote schools.
She has a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Case Western University and a Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University, her application said.
Hamilton lives in Seward, and has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, her application says. Her top three priorities as a school board member would be fiscal sustainability, improving opportunities available to students and increasing community involvement and empowering teachers.
Lindquist has lived in Moose Pass for 23 years, and has a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in French and a bachelor’s degree in education, her application says. Her top three priorities as a school board member would be to move focus away from proficiency and focus on excellence, promote rigorous and relevant teacher hiring practices and encourage highly qualified individuals to apply for support staff positions.
Morgan lives in Cooper Landing and has a bachelor’s degree in music and elementary education, according to her application. Her top three priorities as a school board member would be to “champion the unique diversity of our district’s schools and the importance of keeping them funded and open,” find more ways to provide opportunities for students in schools who have fewer choices by advocating for adequate funding and fairly appropriating funding, and increasing a sense of “team” between certified and classified staff, the board and administration and enhance employee morale.
All eligible applicants will be interviewed for no more than 30 minutes. The school board can choose one applicant to be appointed to serve in the District 6 seat until the next regular municipal election in October 2020.
