UPDATE: Mr. Barclay was sworn in by Clerk of the Court Loretta Knight on Monday, December 11, at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony took place in the office of the clerk of the court.

Christopher S. Barclay has been appointed by the Board of Education to fill the District 4 seat vacated by the election of Valerie Ervin to the Montgomery County Council. Mr. Barclay was elected on the first ballot by a vote of five to two to fill the term ending in 2008. Voting to approve were Shirley Brandman, Judy Docca, Sarah Horvitz, Nancy Navarro, and Patricia O’Neill.

“As an advocate for public education, I have always said and done what I believe to be right for the children and families of this county,” said Mr. Barclay, “I look forward to being a strong, independent voice on the Board of Education.”

Interviews of five finalists selected by the Board and the election occurred during a public meeting of the Board on Saturday, December 9, at the Carver Educational Services Center in Rockville.

Mr. Barclay has been involved in countywide issues of equity and excellence in education for many years. He has served in a number of volunteer leadership roles within the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA), including Montgomery Blair Cluster coordinator and MCCPTA nominating committee chair. He also has served on the NAACP Parents Council.

Mr. Barclay was active in the development of the Downcounty Consortium as a member of the Downcounty Consortium Base Area Study Committee. He has served on numerous other school system advisory committees, including committees on gifted and talented education, academic achievement, and principal selection.

In addition to Mr. Barclay’s volunteer education activities, he also has been involved in community leadership roles on the Takoma Foundation Board of Directors and the Takoma Park Department of Recreation Advisory Committee.

Mr. Barclay has worked in the telecommunications industry since 1993 and currently is a project manager with Verizon. He is a 1984 graduate of Columbia College of Chicago. Mr. Barclay resides in Takoma Park. He is married and has three children who attend the Montgomery County Public Schools.