Board of Education Schedules Interviews of Five Candidates for Vacant District 4 Seat on December 9

Board Will Appoint Member to Fill the Seat Left Vacant by the Election of Valerie Ervin to the County Council

The Montgomery County Board of Education has selected five candidates for interviews from among the 20 individuals who applied to become the District 4 representative on the Board. The position was left vacant by the election of Valerie Ervin to the Montgomery County Council. The remainder of the term extends to November 2008.

After reviewing the applications, the Board has announced that the following five individuals have been selected to be interviewed to fill the vacant District 4 Board of Education seat:

- Christopher Barclay
- Sheldon Fishman
- Alies Muskin
- Victor Salazar
- Beth Wong

The candidates will be interviewed in half-hour sessions on December 9, 2006, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Board room of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, in Rockville. The interviews are open to the public. 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 availability for extensive meetings and other public commitments.

Board members selected the five finalists following a review of information submitted by each prospective applicant. The Board will vote on the appointment at a public meeting convening immediately following the conclusion of the interviews. The appointment will be by a Board majority vote of four members.