The Perry Community School District Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to appoint Casey Baldwin to serve the remainder of the four-year term held by the late Marjean Gries, Baldwin’s mother.
The seat will be up for election in September, as will the seat currently held by Board President Kyle Baxter.
Baxter and Board Vice-President Jim Lutmer said at Monday’s meeting that Baldwin had approached them about filling the vacancy. Baldwin was the sole interested party to approach the pair, with Directors Linda Andorf and Kenia Alarcon admitting they had not been contacted by anyone expressing a desire fill the seat.
Baldwin is a 1999 graduate to Perry High School and a 2004 alumnus of Iowa State University. He will participate in the next monthly meeting of the board, which will be held June 12 at 6 p.m. in the Brady Library at Perry High School.
Retiring Superintendent Lynn Ubben will chair her final monthly meeting at that time, as her duties end June 30.
In other business, the board approved a three-year contract for Clark Wicks, who will assume superintendent duties July 1. Wicks will be paid $155,000 for the 2017-2018 school year.
I am thrilled to see that Casey will be fulfilling the remainder of his mom’s term on the school board, as would she. Casey believes in the Perry schools and as a parent desires to see Perry be the best it can be. He will be a tremendous asset to the board. His involvement with children outside of school and upbringing as a “teacher’s child” gives him a broad and clear perspective of what is in the best interest of all students in their learning. Good luck, Casey!