After narrowing the field of candidates last week, the IUSD Board of Education is expected to pick its newest member during a special session at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21.
The four finalists who will be interviewed for the post are: Betty Carroll, an attorney and member of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation’s Board of Trustees; Ira Glasky, an attorney and member of IUSD’s finance committee; Hugh Hewitt, a law professor, broadcast journalist, lawyer and author who previously sat on the IPSF board; and Cyril Yu, a deputy district attorney who chairs the City of Irvine’s Green Ribbon Environmental Committee.
At stake is the seat held for nearly nine years by Dr. Gavin Huntley-Fenner, who announced his resignation in October and attended his final meeting on Nov. 12. Huntley-Fenner’s term expires in November 2014, so whoever gets the nod will presumably serve until then -- or longer if that person wins a full term in the next election.
A total of 13 Irvine residents submitted applications for the seat this month after the board decided to appoint a member rather than hold a costly election. On Nov. 13, board members convened for a public paper-screening and reached consensus on the four finalists.
As the chief policy-making body for the Irvine Unified School District, the Board of Education comprises five members, each elected at large to serve four-year terms.
Regular board meetings are typically held on the first and third Tuesday of every month, with occasional special meetings. Board members must live in the district and typically spend about 15 to 20 hours a week participating in community functions, county and state events, training sessions and meeting preparation.
