One more city resident has submitted an application to represent the City of Williamsburg on the Williamsburg-James City County School Board.
Kyra Cook submitted an application last week for the School Board position, which is currently occupied by Dr. Oscar Prater.
Cook has been involved with several nonprofit organizations in the area, including the Williamsburg Regional Library Board, the WJCC PTA Council, the WJCC Strategic Planning Committee and the Historic Triangle Collaborative.
Cook said her previous involvement with the school division encouraged her to seek the board position.
“We have a great school division,” she said. “I’ve been active and want to continue to be active.”
Cook currently has children at the middle and elementary school level in WJCC.
She previously submitted an application in 2010 for the same seat, which ultimately went to Prater.
As of Friday, the city had received two applications for the seat, one from Cook and one from city resident Douglas Wood.
Wood, a graduate of the College of William & Mary’s School of Law and an attorney in Williamsburg, told WYDaily last month he submitted an application out of a desire to serve the community. Wood submitted an application for the position in October.
Prater, the seat’s current holder, has served on the board since 2010 and acts as its parliamentarian. He said in October he had not yet decided whether to seek reappointment to the board. Prater was unavailable for comment Monday. His current term is set to expire Dec. 31.
Elise Emanuel serves as the city’s other representative on the School Board. Her term ends Dec. 31, 2015.
Applications for the open seat will be accepted through Nov. 13, and the Williamsburg City Council will hold a public hearing on the position during its meeting the same day. The appointment will be announced Dec. 11. The term runs from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2018.
The school board consists of seven members, with five members elected to represent geographic districts in James City County, and two members appointed by the City Council to represent the city at-large.
The school board’s duties include developing policies to promote student achievement in the city and county. Its powers include requesting funds from the city and county, managing the division’s budget, approving personnel decisions and adopting academic standards.
Regulations require individuals appointed to city boards to attend at least 75 percent of its meetings, or have their seat vacated by implied resignation.
Applications for the school board position and other appointed boards are available through the city’s website or at the clerk’s office in the Municipal Building at 401 Lafayette St.
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