West Carrollton to fill vacant school board seat next week

Keith Novesl, former West Carrollton City School District Board of Education member. CONTRIBUTED

Keith Novesl, former West Carrollton City School District Board of Education member. CONTRIBUTED

West Carrollton City Schools Board of Education will decide next week how to fill a spot recently vacated by one of its members.

Keith Novesl was one of two write-in candidates who ran for two spots on the board last November. He submitted a letter May 16 resigning his position effective that day.

“I am more interested in observing and supporting your work,” Novesl said in the letter.

West Carrollton City Schools Board of Education will decide June 12 on who will fill a spot recently vacated by one of its members. STAFF FILE PHOTO

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Superintendent Andrea Townsend said applications were advertised on West Carrollton’s website and in a public notice.

“It was posted the day we received the resignation,” she said. “The community could apply via email or mail using an application.”

The solicitation for applications produced responses from:

  • Paige Aydelott, a curriculum assistant at a different area school district.
  • Arthur Miller III, an operations analyst at a health insurance company.
  • Angela Shockley, who handles acquisitions at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
  • Lucas VanAusdoll, a church pastor.

Aydelott and VanAusdoll said they have school-age children in the West Carrollton school district. Shockley said hers graduated in 2016. Miller said he has school-age children but they do not attend district schools.

Townsend said the district probably would have amassed more applications if it didn’t have a time limit to fill the spot on the board.

The statute requires the board to fill the vacancy at least 10 days after it opens and within 30 days, Townsend said. The board will vote during its regularly scheduled meeting June 12.

School board meeting attendance fluctuates. Meetings with performances by students can draw a crowd, but “two or three” people is average attendance on a night when a typical agenda is presented, Townsend said.

“It’s not really a lot,” she said. “I mean, it’s (on) a Wednesday night. A lot of our kids play sports.”

Townsend said despite the district’s average school board meeting turnout, “we do have a lot of community involved.”

“I think we’ll get more involved as we keep trying to grow different programs and get these (two new) buildings finished,” she said.

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