5 applicants picked to interview for open Academy D-20 school board spot
An opening on the school board for Colorado Springs’ largest school district attracted 24 applicants, with five of them are moving forward in the process for the seat.
Recently, two seats were up for election on Academy District 20’s board. Four candidates ran for the two seats. Both Amy Shandy and Derrick Wilburn, who won the seats in November’s election were sworn in last month. At the same meeting, then Board President Tom LaValley resigned.
The district was closed Thursday because of the weather, but the board still held a work session to narrow down the field of candidates from 24 to five.
The 24 applicants included former teachers, nearly all either currently or at some point have had kids attend D-20 schools, and several touted their experience in business and the military as why they should be selected for the position. Three of the applicants were former members of the school board.
Current board members selected five people to be interviewed: Lauren Yanez, a former D-20 teacher and parent of D-20 graduates; Michael Sibley, a former D-20 principal, teacher and parent of district graduates; Catherine Bullock, a former D-20 board member and parent of D-20 graduates; Jon Ullmann, a former substitute teacher for the district and parent of D-20 graduates; and Michael Riffle, a D-20 parent who has also volunteered for the district.
Applications for the seat closed this past Monday. At Thursday’s meeting, board members each announced three to five candidates they wanted to invite for an interview next week. Ultimately, any candidate recommended by more than one board member was named a finalist.
Interviews will take place on Monday with the new board member seated on Tuesday.
District leaders say it’s been nearly 25 years since a seat was appointed on D-20’s board. All 24 applications have been posted on the district’s website, you can find the applications at the D-20 School Board website.
An opening for the Academy District 20 school board in Colorado Springs’ largest district attracted 24 applicants, with five of them moving forward in the process for the seat.