LAWRENCE: School board applicants have until May 21

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   Aiming to fill a vacancy on the Lawrence Township Board of Education, school district officials have set a May 21 deadline for interested residents to apply.
   The school board is accepting letters of interest and a resume to be sent via email, school district officials said. The letter should indicate the reasons why the resident would like to be considered for the opening, plus any other information that he or she would like to share with the board.
   Applicants will be interviewed by the Lawrence Township Board of Education in an open meeting. The school board will go into closed session to discuss the applicants, and then vote on the appointment in public. The successful applicant will serve until April 2013, which is the date of the next school board election.
   The vacancy was created when Joshua Wilson, who won election to a two-year term at the April 17 school board election, turned in a letter declining to accept the seat. Mr. Wilson was one of three candidates for the seat, but he withdrew several days before the election. There was not enough time to remove his name from the ballot.
   Although there were two other candidates for the seat, the second highest vote-getter does not automatically take the seat. State law requires the school board to appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the next school board election in April 2013.
   Persons who are interested in filling the vacancy may email a letter of interest and a resume to Mr. Eldridge at [email protected] by May 21.