Portage schools accepting applications for vacant board seat - mlive.com

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PORTAGE, MI -- Portage Public Schools is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the school board after the death of one of its members this month.

Interested applicants have two weeks to apply to fill a vacant seat on the Board of Education, Board President Randy Van Antwerp said during a virtual meeting Monday, Dec. 14.

The deadline for submitting applications is noon on Monday, Dec. 28, Van Antwerp said. The application form is available on the district’s website.

The vacancy was created after longtime board member Joanne Willson died after a battle with cancer. Willson, who was elected to the Board of Education in 2010, died Wednesday, Dec. 9, the district said in a press release.

Related: Portage Public Schools board member dies after cancer battle

Willson previously beat breast cancer after a two-year battle in January 2019, but became ill again in August of this year, she said in an email to MLive in November.

She was an active school board member both at the local and state level, the district said. She served with the Michigan Association of School Boards and on many committees, the district said.

“Without a doubt, if you wanted to spell advocate, it would be J-O-A-N-N-E,” Board member Celeste Shelton-Harris said during Monday’s meeting. “She would fight to the very end for students.”

The board offered their condolences to Willson’s family and said she will be greatly missed by the Portage community.

Willson attended school board meetings even while battling cancer, Board member Bo Snyder said.

“She bravely fought,” Snyder said.

The board will meet virtually at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, to review applications and select candidates they wish to interview. At 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 4, the board will meet to interview candidates and make the appointment.

The newly appointed board member will take the oath of office during the board’s organizational meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, Van Antwerp said. The appointed member will serve until the next election in 2022.

Interested applicants must be 18 years of age, a registered voter in the school district and live within the school district boundaries. Process questions can be directed to Barb Atkinson, administrative assistant to the superintendent, by calling 269-323-5148 or emailing batkinson@portageps.org.

Four board incumbents were recently reelected to their seats during the November election. Voters chose Teresa Novaria, Snyder, Rusty Rathburn and Kurt Droppers from a field of five candidates vying for the six-year terms on the board. Two candidates, Dean Prowse and Kevin Hoffer, unsuccessfully challenged the four incumbents.

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