Board Will Appoint Member to Fill the Seat Left Vacant by Passing of Patricia O’Neill

The Montgomery County Board of Education has selected 8 candidates for interviews from among the 18 individuals who applied to become the District 3 representative on the Board. The position was left vacant by the passing of Patricia O’Neill. The remainder of the term extends to November 2022.

After reviewing the applications, the Board has announced that the following 8 individuals have been selected to be interviewed to fill the vacant District 3 Board of Education seat:

• Cynthia Anderson-Clay
• Ana Sol Gutierrez
• Scott Joftus
• Benjamin McDonough
• Neal Orringer
• Debby Orsak
• Vashti Van Wyke
• Julie Yang

The candidates will be interviewed in half-hour sessions on November 30, 2021, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, in Rockville. The interviews will be open to the public with limited seating. Reservations are encouraged and can be made here: https://forms.gle/MnL78HbW9Rb9UAwG6. The Board will conduct a short planning meeting in closed session before the interviews.

The interviews are a continuation of the process by Board members to assess the qualifications of the candidates for appointment. Each interview will involve a structured question and answer session, in which the candidates will know the questions in advance. The questions focus on the candidates' perceptions of the role of a Board member, professional and civic experiences, priorities, and their understanding of the complexity of the work.

The Board is expected to appoint the new member at its December 2 business meeting.