Springfield board declares vacancy, elects officers and approves appointments as debate continues over how to fill seat

The Springfield Public Schools Board of Directors on Jan. 13 formally declared a vacancy for Position 5 after receiving Kelly Mason’s resignation and took several administrative actions, including electing a new chair and vice chair, appointing a budget committee member and approving a set of instructional policies. The board also debated three options for filling the vacant seat and asked staff to begin a public appointment process.

The vacancy declaration came early in the meeting after Superintendent Hamilton read the board’s acknowledgment of Mason’s resignation and the board moved to declare the seat vacant. Chair Nicole DeGraaf urged gratitude for Mason’s service. The motion to declare the vacancy passed with no recorded opposition.

Why it matters: The vacancy triggers a choice between leaving the seat open until the May election, appointing an interim member quickly, or running an expedited public application and interview process. Board members expressed differing views about how much weight to give voters when the unexpired term runs only through June. The board directed staff to proceed with an appointment timeline intended to bring an appointee before the board in February for interview and possible seating in March if a majority concurs.

Key actions and context

- Board leadership: The board elected Nicole DeGraaf as chair to serve the remainder of the school year. DeGraaf was nominated from the floor and received board approval. The board also nominated and approved Heather Quasanza as vice chair.

- Budget committee appointment: The board appointed David Walp to a vacancy on the district budget committee to represent…