Spokane School Board moving swiftly to fill vacancy
The Spokane Public Schools board is moving swiftly to fill a vacancy amid big decisions regarding education during the pandemic.
The board is interviewing seven finalists over two days, and could announce a decision Tuesday night, board President Jerrall Haynes said Monday.
The virtual interviews, which began Monday at 4 p.m. and resume Tuesday at 5 p.m., are open to the public via Zoom.
“It’s possible that we may announce a decision on Tuesday, though I can’t guarantee it,” Haynes said. “We may need a little bit more time.”
The board hopes to swear in the new board member at its next regular meeting on Sept. 9.
The seven finalists, along with information provided by the district:
- Karl Boettner, administrative law judge for the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings.
- Jessica Box, director of Field Services for EdReports, an independent nonprofit designed to improve education by providing reviews of K-12 instructional materials.
- Brian Davenport, most recently associate dean for honors and community engagement for Eastern Washington University.
- Erin Georgen, owner and operator of Erin Georgen Graphic Design and a physical therapist assistant for St. Luke’s Rehabilitation.
- Michael Kirk, most recently a chief operations officer and financial officer for a community-building and marketing startup in Spokane.
- Harry Rosenkrantz, a private, licensed mental health counselor and child mental health specialist, and a Circle of Security consultant.
- Aryn Ziehnert, a lecturer in psychology at Eastern Washington.
The vacancy was created by Kevin Morrison’s resignation last month.
The appointment will expire in November 2021.