Another seat opens on Mohawk Valley school governing board

Applicants sought to fill vacancy

To fill a vacant seat on the Mohawk Valley School District governing board, the Yuma County School Superintendent’s Office is seeking letters of interest from community members residing within the district’s boundaries.

The seat belongs to board member Melissa Sharp, who has served 12 years on the board.

“It has been a pleasure to serve on the Mohawk Valley School Board,” Sharp said in her resignation letter. “We currently have candidates who are wishing to serve (the district) as board members. I feel that the time is right for me to step down and enable these candidates to begin their board service.”

According to state law, the vacancy requires Yuma County School Superintendent Tom Tyree to appoint someone to fill the position. Once appointed, the individual will be sworn in at the district’s next governing board meeting, slated for Aug. 11, and remain in the position until the end of the term on Dec. 31.

Letters of interest should include the candidate’s reasons for wanting to serve the district in this position, their leadership qualifications, whether they are a registered voter, their current address and how long they have resided within the Mohawk Valley School District, as candidates need to have lived in the district for at least one year to be eligible. Neither the applicant nor their spouse may be currently employed by the district.

According to Tyree, an ideal candidate has an understanding of “how to work well with other board members” and should be prepared to make an intentional time commitment, as governing board members are expected to attend study sessions and other events within the district and state in addition to their monthly meetings.

More information on the role and responsibilities of a board member can also be found on the Arizona School Board Association’s website, azsba.org.

Letters of interest are due by 5 p.m. Friday, July 14.

Applicants can send their letters to the Yuma County School Superintendent’s Office, 210 S. First Ave., Yuma, AZ 85364. Letters can also be submitted electronically to the superintendent’s financial assistant Cristal Kautzer at ckautzer@apscc.org.

Questions about the process can be directed to Kautzer via phone at 928373-1188.