Governing Board Update
Dear Crane Schools Families–
We recently learned that personal circumstances have required Governing Board Clerk, Mrs. Sarah Claridge to make the difficult decision to resign from the Crane Elementary School District Governing Board effective October 11, 2023. In the event that a replacement has not been named by October 11th, Mrs. Claridge has affirmed her commitment and willingness to continue serving as a Governing Board member beyond this date. We appreciate her willingness to ensure a smooth transition and for her 9 years of public service. We all can agree that Mrs. Claridge is passionate about her work within our community as a leader and school board member, and her contributions are greatly valued.
Occasionally, school board members must vacate their positions before they have successfully completed their terms. In the case of a mid-term vacancy, the county superintendent of schools may appoint a new member to fill the position until the next election cycle, in this case, November 2024.
The Honorable Tom Hurt, Yuma County School Superintendent, notified the Yuma Daily Sun which published a notice to alert the community that his office is seeking letters of interest for the open board seat. Qualified candidates can submit their letter of interest via email to [email protected] or deliver the letter to Superintendent Tom Hurt's office at 210 S. 1st Avenue by Friday, September 1st at 5:00 pm. For further questions, call the County Superintendent’s office at 928-373-1006 and direct inquiries to Tom Hurt or Elizabeth Valenzuela.
The County School Superintendent’s Office offers the guidance that letters should include the applicant’s reasons for seeking the appointment, their leadership qualifications, their current address, whether they’re a registered voter, whether they’re a resident of Crane Elementary School District and how long they’ve resided in the district.
Pursuant to ARS 15-421 (C), a person is eligible to run for a school governing board seat in Arizona when they meet the following qualifications:
- Registered voter in the state of Arizona
- Resident of the school district for at least one year immediately preceding the day of election
School governing board members cannot be an employee of the school district or be a spouse of a school district employee, including a person who directly provides certified or classified support services to the school district as an employee of a third-party contractor.
For those interested in serving in this capacity, you can view Arizona School Boards Association’s School Board Service Booklet at https://azsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ASBA-School-Board-Service-Booklet.pdf.
Thank you, as always, for your support of the Crane Elementary School District.
Sincerely,
Laurie Doering
Superintendent