ROCK HALL — The Kent County Board of Education has approved the 13 members of the newly formed Citizen Advisory Committee.
As stated in a policy approved Oct. 25, the committee is a structured group that meets about specific issues impacting Kent County Public Schools’ educational policies, activities and programs. The committee also may respond to requests from the Board of Education for research and recommendations on specific educational issues.
The committee is to consist of two members for each of the five schools, two at-large community members and one student from Kent County High School. The chairman and vice chairman are selected from among the Board of Education members.
Board members unanimously approved the list of Citizen Advisory Committee members at their monthly meeting, held Monday, Dec. 13.
Jodi Bortz and Maureen Ranville were approved to represent H.H. Garnet Elementary School in Chestertown. Both are parents and staff members at the school. Bortz is a teacher and Ranville is a school counselor.
Representing Galena Elementary School are parents Phil Ticknor, who works at Washington College, and Monica Fuchs, who serves as a substitute teacher.
Parent Jennifer Glenn, an insurance agent, and teacher Carole Manley were appointed for Rock Hall Elementary School.
For Kent County Middle School in Chestertown, the committee members are parent Harold Somerville, a probation officer who also is a founder of the Rising Sons mentoring program, and teacher Katie Hughes.
Parents Julie Dunlap, a family nurse practitioner, and Brenda Vujanic, who works in marketing and human relations, will be the committee representatives for Kent County High School in Worton. Madison Messick is the student member.
The at-large members are Bill Flook, a retired school psychologist, and Fran Peimer, a retired speech pathologist.
From the Board of Education, Vice President Trish McGee and member Francoise Sullivan were selected as committee chair and vice chair, respectively.
The Citizen Advisory Committee meets on an as-needed basis, with a minimum of four meetings a year. The first meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24 at the Kent County Public Schools Central Office in Rock Hall.
Any recommendations made by the committee are non-binding. The Board of Education may accept or reject recommendations as members decide.
Because this is the first seating of the Citizen Advisory Committee, six members will be randomly selected to serve a one-year term. The rest will serve the regular term of two years. Members may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
New Citizen Advisory Committee members are to be appointed annually at the Board of Education’s December meeting.