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A former candidate for the General Assembly, a longtime Henrico principal and a former Henrico teacher are the three finalists for an interim appointment to the Henrico County School Board.
The board's four current members announced the finalists today. They are:
• Melissa Dart, a member of the Henrico Special Education Advisory Committee who as the Democratic nominee last November lost a race for the 56th District seat in the General Assembly to Republican John McGuire;
• Former longtime Lakeside Elementary School Principal BIll Pike, who also was an assistant principal at Hermitage High School;
• Marcie Shea, a former Freeman High School teacher and current PTA volunteer.
The board selected the three from a pool of 11 applicants – eight men and three women – then interviewed them earlier this week. Next, it will hold a public hearing Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. at the New Bridge Learning Center auditorium to receive public input about each finalist before appointing one to the board Sept. 20. The new appointee will be seated in time for the board's Sept. 27 meeting.
Longtime Tuckahoe District board member Lisa Marshall resigned last month to concentrate on her treatment for breast cancer.
“We need to hear from the public,” said School Board Chair and Three Chopt District representative Micky Ogburn. “It’s their opportunity to weigh in on what qualities are important and who they want as their representative from the Tuckahoe District.”
Members of the public will have four minutes each to address the Board. Citizens may sign up in advance to speak at the public hearing by contacting Debbie Ward, clerk of the School Board, at (804) 652-3808 or by e-mailing dnward@henrico.k12.va.us.
The appointee will serve on an interim basis for more than 15 months – almost as long as legally permitted by Virginia State Code. Had Marshall's resignation come a few weeks earlier, it would have triggered a special election on the same date as this year's general election, Nov. 6. But since it occurred within 90 days of that election, a special election wouldn't have taken place until next November. But the entire board is up for election then anyway, negating the need for a special election.
New Bridge Learning Center is located at 5915 Nine Mile Road.
