~ PVN staff report
LURAY, Oct. 6 — On Thursday, Page County Public Schools publicly advertised and announced plans for filling the vacancy left on the Page County School Board by the recent passing of District 1 member Tommy Lansberry on Sept. 22. Those interested in the appointment have about a week to apply.
Any interested citizens in District 1 must submit a letter of interest with a resume by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12. A public hearing has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27 to “allow the public to address the candidates who wish to serve.”
“The recent passing of District 1 School Board member, Mr. Tommy Lansberry, has saddened us all and left a vacancy on the Board,” reads an Oct. 6 letter from PCPS superintendent, Dr. Antonia Fox, to faculty, staff and families. “We remain grateful to Mr. Lansberry for his service to our students, school division, and community, and extend a warm thank you to his family for sharing him with us during his time of service.”
The former bus mechanic and substitute bus driver retired after 25 years of service to the local school division in 2016. The year after his retirement, Lansberry ran for the District 1 seat on the school board and won a two-way race in 2017. He won an uncontested race with 1,448 votes last November and returned in January for a second, four-year term.
Lansberry was less than nine months into his second term when he passed at age 76 after an extended battle with an inoperable brain tumor. The School Board publicly announced Lansberry’s health issues in June after a noticeable, extended absence.
Under Virginia Code, the school board must fill his District 1 seat with an interim appointee by Monday, Nov. 7. The appointee will serve through Dec. 31, 2023. A special election will be held next November to fill the District 1 seat for the remainder of the term through Dec. 31, 2025.
A formal Notice of a School Board Vacancy was posted by the school system earlier today and can be viewed HERE. The notice includes information about how to apply for the school board appointment, as well as the qualifications for the office, such as:
- Candidates must reside in District 1;
- Candidates must be a qualified voter in District 1;
- Selected candidate will be required to take an oath of office;
- Candidates can not be an employee of the school board of which they are a member;
- Candidates can not hold an incompatible dual office.
The school board plans to name an appointee for the seat no later than Monday, Nov. 7. Interviews will be conducted between Friday, Oct. 14 and Wednesday, Oct. 26. Applicant names will be announced prior to the Oct. 27 public hearing.
Letters of interest by potential candidates, along with resumes, may be submitted or delivered to: Ms. Linda Breeden-Wallace, Clerk, Page County School Board, 735 West Main Street, Luray, VA 22835.
Once a new appointment is made, it will be retroactive as of Sept. 22.
For further information or questions, call the PCPS Central Office at (540) 743-6533
or visit https://www.pagecounty.k12.va.us/
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