Two candidates in final interviews for Valparaiso Community School Board appointment

The Valparaiso City Council is approaching the final round of May interviews with applicants for the next Valparaiso Community School Board appointment to fill the vacant seat of Karl Cender, who is completing his third four-year term and currently serving as school board president.

Cender was appointed in May 2018 and began his term July 1, 2018. Erika Robinson-Watkins became the newest member on the Valparaiso School Board last summer, after her May 2021 appointment selected from nearly a dozen applicants by the Center Township Board and Township Trustee Jesse Harper.

“Only three candidates applied for the open seat,” said First District Valparaiso City Council Member Diana Reed, who along with fellow council member Jack Pupillo, Fourth District, serves as the council liaison for Valparaiso Schools.

“We had our first round of interviews at Valparaiso City Hall and now the public is invited to submit questions as well for the next round of questions at the May 31 interview.”

The final candidates are Jennifer Buck, who is employed at a local credit union, and former Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas, after the third candidate, Julie Smith, withdrew her application. At-Large Council Member Evan Costas will not participate in the interviews or the final vote, since he’s related to one of the applicants, who must be at least 21 years old and live within Valparaiso city limits. There is also a state statute requiring that the

Valparaiso School Board must have at least one member from each political party. “Party affiliation” is determined by the last primary in which the applicant voted. The term of appointment for the new member is four years.

The candidate interview process is explained at: https://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/978/ School-Board-Member-Appointment-Process

The public could watch the earlier May council interviews of candidates via remote access watching the livestream on the city’s web page and Facebook feed. Each applicant was given 25 minutes to answer questions which were provided in advance and all of the applicants asked the same questions given in the same order as read by City Attorney Patrick Lyp.

Applicants must manage their time as allotted to each of the questions, with alerts provided at the 10 minute, five minute and 1 minute intervals with an opportunity to ask additional questions led by council members Reed and Pupillo.

Valparaiso School Board members are paid an annual stipend of up to $4,336.

In addition to Robinson-Watkins and Cender, the other existing Valparaiso Community Schools Board consists of Jennifer Bognar, Vice President; Kurt Minko, Secretary; and member Rob Behrend.

Valparaiso Community Schools District consists of 12 public schools, K-12, serving 6,235 students in Porter County.