The Lake Orion Community Schools (LOCS) district is seeking applications for the current vacant position on the board of education.

LOCS Board of Education Secretary Dana Mermell sent a letter to the board resigning her position on July 16, effective immediately. The board officially accepted Mermell’s resignation during their July 22 meeting.

An individual will be appointed to fill the vacant position through Dec. 31, 2020 and will be replaced by the individual elected to the position (based upon the Nov. 3, 2020 election results) on Jan. 1, 2021.

Interested persons must submit a letter expressing interest in the board position and their qualifications for the position to the district office no later than 4 p.m. on July 31, 2020.

Following a review of the submitted materials, the board will schedule interviews with selected candidates. Not all candidates for the board vacancy will be interviewed.

Anyone with questions concerning the role of the board of education and the responsibilities of a board member should contact Supt. Ben Kirby at Ben.Kirby@lok12.org.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years of age; a registered voter in the school district; a citizen of the United States; a resident of the state of Michigan for at least 30 days; and a resident of the school district.

The district also released a checklist for qualified school board candidates:

• Put children first: a qualified school board candidate should believe that every student deserves an equal, quality education. They should have a true commitment to the successful future of all students in the district and a proven history of advocacy on their behalf.

• No personal or political agenda: school board candidates should not be running on their own personal agenda or political aspirations. Instead, they must have a passion for public education and believe that all students are entitled to a quality education.

• Provide leadership: candidates should be passionate about moving the district forward; be an innovative problem solver who is effective in building consensus and is not adverse to change and reform.

• Appreciate diversity: a candidate values the diversity of cultures and demonstrates a willingness to address the social needs of all children and their families.

• Understand budget and finances: candidates must understand their role as fiscal managers of the district with the responsibility of dedicating resources to the priorities of the district while maintaining a balanced budget.

• Know educational policy: candidates should be somewhat familiar with education policy and the role of the school board in policy making.

• Demonstrate integrity: a candidate must be a person who has demonstrated honesty, integrity and trustworthiness and adheres to a high ethical standard.

• Understands community outreach: a candidate understands the importance of engaging the community in the school board’s decision-making process.

• Expects accountability: candidates must be able to hold the superintendent accountable to the goals of the district and in turn recognize they are accountable to the community.