Eric Van Cise (l.) and Amy Morrison take the oath of office for the Sitka School Board. Van Cise is on his second term; Morrison is beginning her first. Current member Elias Erickson (seated) was named board vice-president. (KCAW photo/Robert Woolsey)

The Sitka School Board seated one new member and one returning member in a special meeting Monday night (10-15-18).

Administrative assistant Ruth Joens administered the oath of office to Amy Morrison and Eric Van Cise.

Joens — …That I will faithfully and impartially…
Morrison and Van Cise — That I will faithfully and impartially…
Joens — Discharge my duties…
Morrison and Van Cise — Discharge my duties…
Joens — As a member of the Sitka School Board…
Morrison and Van Cise — As a member of the Sitka School Board…
Joens — To the best of my ability.
Morrison and Van Cise — To the best of my ability.
Joens — Congratulations! (applause)

Eric Van Cise will sit for a second three-year term; Amy Morrison will begin her first.

The next order of business for the board was to self-elect officers by secret ballot. The job of board president went for the second time to Jenn McNichol. Elias Erickson was elected vice-president. Eric Van Cise was given the job of clerk for the second time. Anticipating the outcome of the ballot, he quipped “I brought a new pen.”

Each of Sitka’s five elected board members serves as a liaison to one of the five schools in the district. Elias Erickson will repeat as liaison to Baranof Elementary. Jenn McNichol will move from Sitka High to Keet Gooshi Heen. Eric Van Cise will go to Blatchley Middle School. Amy Morrison will work with Sitka High, where two of her children are students. And Dionne Brady-Howard will take Pacific High.

The critical roles of legislative liaison — the board members who fly to Juneau to lobby the legislature for school funding — will continue to be filled by Jenn McNichol and Elias Erickson.

Board members conducted only one item of public business Monday night: They unanimously approved travel expenses for departing board member Cass Pook to attend her final meeting of the Alaska Association of School Boards — where she has represented Sitka on the executive board for the last several years.