Three full-term seats on the Northwest Education Services (North Ed) Board of Education will be up for election in June.
The terms of current board President Joe Fisher, Vice President Rachael Birgy and Trustee Nicolette Brown will be complete on June 30. Birgy has decided to run for reelection to the board, while Fisher and Brown have chosen not to seek reelection. All seats are six-year terms.
The North Ed Board of Education meets once a month with occasional special meetings and work sessions.
The board’s primary responsibilities are establishing a budget, hiring and evaluating the superintendent, approving official policies and guiding the direction of the district through actions taken at public meetings.
According to board policy and Michigan’s Revised School Code 380.614, not more than two members of the intermediate school board shall be from the same school district unless there are fewer districts than there are positions to be filled.
Additionally, Sec. 380.612 states that not more than three members of the Intermediate School Board may also be serving at the same time as a member of the board of a constituent district or board of directors of a public school academy. Only one North Ed board member, Birgy, serves on a local school board.
The seats to be vacated and their related constituent school districts are as follows:
• Fisher: Elk Rapids Schools
• Birgy: Kalkaska Public Schools • Brown: Benzie County Central Schools Additional board members reside within the following constituent districts:
• Traverse City Area Public Schools: Elizabeth Petrella & Lisa Thomas
• Kingsley Area Schools: Beth Lajko
• Northport Public School: Jim Scherrer Each local school board from North Ed’s constituent districts appoints a representative to attend and participate in the election of the intermediate school district’s board of education. The election will take place June 2 at North Ed’s Arnell Administration Building, 1101 Red Drive, Traverse City, 49684. The new board terms begin July 1.
Interested individuals may contact the Grand Traverse County Clerk’s Office to receive a packet for nominating petitions or pay a $100 fee to the County Clerk due by May 5.
For more information, contact the Northwest Education Services Superintendent’s Office at 231.922.6200.
