LB School Board's Newest Member Is...Diana Craighead

Millikan High PTA Prez is chosen by LB School Board incumbents to fill vacancy due to exit of Dr. David Barton, citing health reasons; TALB sought election to fill vacancy, was unsuccessful in seeking injunction to prevent Board action

(March 23, 2012) -- The newest LB School Board's newest member -- -- chosen by the Board's four other elected members to fill an unanticipated vacancy for the ELB-Lakewood area when Dr. David Barton resigned citing health reasons -- is Diana Craighead is Millikan High School's PTA President.

The decision came at a special meeting this morning (Mar. 23) of the LB School Board following roughly 15 minutes of deliberation. The Board vote was 4-0.

UPDATE: For VIDEO of the item, click here or video embed below:

Boardmember Craighead will be among a five member Board whose majority in the coming weeks will decide whether to approve or modify budget cuts proposed by LBUSD management (some to teachers/certificated personnel already proposed, others to non-certificated employees may be announced in the coming weeks). Those decisions will ultimately affect parents, students, teachers and taxpayers throughout CA's third largest school district. In addition, School Board members set overall LBUSD policies on matters including school facilities, educational policies and multiple oversight areas.

In a release, LBUSD said that Boardmember Craighead has lived in LBUSD District 5 (ELB and part of Lakewood, map below) for 19 years and has served on LBUSD's Budget Advisory Committee, Academic and Career Success Initiative Committee, Health Advisory Committee, and A through G College Entrance Requirements Committee. She's also held PTA positions including President of the Long Beach Council PTA, the umbrella group for all PTAs in the school district.

Boardmember Craighead has a tenth grade daughter at Millikan High School and two sons who graduated from Wilson Classical High School in 2005 and 2008, LBUSD's release said.

Earlier this week, the School Board narrowed its choices to three applicants (Ms. Craighead plus Nancy Manriquez-Dowell, an independent educational consultant, and Maria Williams-Slaughter, an administrator) whom the Board interviewed publicly. The field of applicants originally consisted of 27 (included five that LBUSD said didn't meet residency or voter registration requirements).

The 22 remaining applicants underwent initial interviews conducted by a committee comprised of one representative from each of the following groups: Classified School Employees Association (LBUSD support staff), Association of Long Beach Educational Managers (LBUSD mgm't), Long Beach Council PTA and the Board of Education.

The Teachers Association of Long Beach was invited to be part of the selectio process but declined in February, indicating it believes the Board vacancy should be filled by an election, not by appointment. Yesterday (Mar. 22), TALB sought an injunction to prevent the appointment process but a Superior Court denied the request.

Boardmember Craighead will now complete the remainder of Dr. Barton's term representing the ELB-Lakewood area (ends in July 2014 with elections in April/June 2014).