The Durango School District 9-R school board appointed Shere Byrd on Tuesday as the new District E representative.
Byrd will replace Andy Burns, who resigned from his position as board president in June after being hired as the chief operations officer for the district.
District E comprises the area north of downtown and east of the Animas River.
“Miss Byrd has a lot of board experience, and because we are going to have new people on the board, having someone with this experience will be helpful,” said board member Stephanie Moran. “It has been great to get the response we have from the public. There is a lot of interest.”
The board interviewed two applicants for the position: Byrd, a professor of biology at Fort Lewis College, and Emily Newcomer, a licensed psychotherapist who owns her own practice.
“I am really excited. I’m looking for ways to stay involved in the community outside of the college,” Byrd said. “I have a daughter in the school district, and I think people who live here should have good expectations of education for their children.”
She will serve on the board until the biennial school election on Nov. 7, when three board positions are up for re-election.
Nancy Stubbs, board vice president, will fill the position of president until after the election.
In other action, Matt Sheldon resigned from his position on the board, effective immediately.
“Matt will be leaving us to go to school in Boulder,” Stubbs said. “He carries a lot of weight and adds a lot to our discussions.”
Sheldon represents District D, which encompasses downtown, the area east of downtown and part of north Main Avenue.
The board is accepting applications until Aug. 31 for the two-year appointment, with interviews scheduled for Sept. 5.
mrupani@durangoherald.com
