Center of CDA school board's future

Those interested in serving as a Coeur d’Alene School Board Trustee for Zone 3, you've got just a few hours to get your applications in.

Deadline is noon today.

Following the declared vacancy for the zone after the resignation of former Trustee Tambra Pickford, the board must appoint a person to serve the remainder of the term through December 2023 according to Idaho Code.

As of Wednesday there were five applicants.

“I'm hopeful we have applicants who are willing to roll up their sleeves and jump in wholeheartedly to do this important work on behalf of kids, teachers and our community,” Acting Chair Rebecca Smith said. “As a board, we need to come together to work towards the best interest of our students and their education and to do so in the spirit of collaboration, trust and teamwork.”

After the appointment and installation of Allie Anderton for Zone 1 and Lesli Bjerke for Zone 4 at the Jan. 3 board meeting, the district will have a full board seated.

Smith was re-elected Tuesday for another term in Zone 5.

“The way I look at the election results is obviously there’s a divided community,” Trustee Casey Morrisroe said. “I think it's important that our board, with the new members, that we come together, and we find our common ground and continue moving in a positive direction.”

Morrisroe said the board needs to address division in the community in regard to education and start tackling those issues, as well as regain some civility.

“I think our community in general, we need to do a better job modeling civil discourse amongst each other,” Morrisroe told The Press. “Whether that's us as individual board members, community members, we should be able to disagree and be respectful.”

Morrisroe said he would like to see the board focus on a common goal: improving the education provided for students in the community.

Director of Communications Scott Maben said the board’s plan is to interview applicants at a public meeting on Nov. 15, time to be determined. Maben said the new trustee could be selected at the conclusion of those interviews.

The meeting will take place at the Midtown Meeting Center in Coeur d’Alene and will be open to the public.

Smith said they are looking forward to having a full board seated in January.

The deadline for appointing a new trustee is Jan. 1, as Idaho Code 33-504 says the school board has 90 days after declaring vacancy to make the appointment.

Those interested in applying must submit an application to the Clerk of the Board, Lynn Towne, at the district office at 1400 N. Northwood Center Court in Coeur d’Alene.

Applicants must be a registered voter in the school district with residency in Zone 3 to be eligible. The selected trustee will represent residents in the northwest portion of the school district.

The district encourages applicants to make sure they still reside in Zone 3 after a scheduled zone boundary revision takes effect in January. A map and legal description of the zone, as well as the proposed Zone 3 map with a detailed description of the changes, can be found on the district website at cdaschools.org/trusteezones.

Application packets must include a letter of interest (typed, 12-point font, up to 2 pages) that includes:

• Contact information: telephone, email and residential address

• A statement about their background

• The main reasons for applying for the trustee position

• Their top three objectives if appointed to the position

• Affiliation(s) with the District, e.g. PTA, school volunteer, past or present committee participation, etc.