Posted: 8/7/02

6 will interview for vacancy

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Six candidates have emerged as finalists for the current vacancy on the ISD 831 Board of Education.

The school board on Monday night agreed to follow board policy in how it selects a replacement for member Clyde Boyer who resigned on June 30 after a job transfer to Florida forced him to leave the board.

The six finalists come from a field of 10 candidates who formally applied for the vacant seat. The candidates came forward after the district in July advertised for applicants.

ìItís going to be hard to choose,î President Bill Bresin said, looking over the list of 10 candidates.

Under board policy, each of the six members can recommend one finalist for a formal board interview. Bresin said Monday the board could waive the policy and bring in all 10 candidates for interviews, but that option was not selected.

The six finalists who are slated for interviews on Monday, Aug. 12 are:

ïJohn (Jack) Bull of Forest Lake, a retired educator of 35 years who is a former principal in the North Branch district.

ïMichelle J. DeWitt of Forest Lake. She is a 1989 Forest Lake graduate and currently a teacher and principal intern at Earle Brown Elementary School in Brooklyn Center.

ïMelissa Martyr-Wagner of Forest Lake. She is a graduate of Iowa State University and currently works as instructional technology coordinator, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

ïKaren Morehead of Forest Lake. She is a former school board member of seven years and currently a member of the city of Forest Lake Park Board.

ïJodi Toupal of Wyoming. Toupal, who is active in numerous school and community functions in Wyoming, works as a facility management assistant at Eagle Brook Church in White Bear Lake.

ïAdoness Turner of Marine on St. Croix. She is a two-year resident of the school who works as a noontime aide substitute at Scandia Elementary School where she also volunteers in various capacities.

The board action on Monday excluded four candidates from interviews.

Candidates who applied but who were not chosen for interviews include: Lynne Gorski, Glory K. Kibbel, Carol Mueller-Leavitt and Richard Simpson. All four will be sent letters thanking them for their interest in serving.

The six candidates who will interview will spend 15 minutes before the board in a public meeting next Monday night. The 7 p.m. session is tentative based on availability of the six finalists.

The board will take action on naming a replacement for Boyer at the Tuesday, Sept. 3 regular meeting.

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