Diane Mikulis could be the only experienced member on the Howard County School Board, depending on the results of the November School Board election and whether another School Board member wins her seat for County Council.
Six candidates are vying for five seats with four-year terms.
The two incumbents running for re-election are Joshua Kaufman, board chairman, and Patricia Gordon.
“I would expect that, as incumbents, they have a pretty good chance of getting back on the board,” said Mikulis.
Board Member Mary Kay Sigaty?s term isn?t up until 2008, but she?s running for a County Council seat and will step down from the school board position if elected.
Board Member Courtney Watson?s term is up this year, and she?s also running for a County Council seat.
Another twist in the election: The school board will expand from five members based on state law requiring school districts with a student population between 50,000 and 100,000 to have seven members, said Stephen Bounds, director of legal and policyservices for the Maryland Association of Boards of Education.
“This creates a unique situation to say the least,” said school spokeswoman Patti Caplan.
In the event that she is the only experienced board member, Mikulis is ready to help the new members get acclimated.
“I?m taking very careful notes,” she said.
Mikulis said she and Sigaty are working on a new orientation session that will involve educating new members about the Open Meetings Act, operating budget process, legislative process and collective bargaining.
“These are things they will need to know right away,” Mikulis said.
MABE also sponsors orientation for School Board members.
School Board members and chairpersons earn $12,000 and $14,000 per year, respectively, Bounds said. They spend between 30 and 60 hours per week conducting board business, Gordon said.
