Pottsgrove School Board appoints Stacy Herbert to fill vacancy after public interviews

The Pottsgrove School District Board of School Directors voted to appoint Stacy Herbert to an open seat that will run through November 2025 after public interviews with six candidates on the evening of the board meeting.

The board interviewed six applicants in public session and used a two-stage straw-poll process before a formal motion to appoint Herbert. Dr. David Finnerty, the district superintendent, told the board the vacancy will be filled tonight and the appointee will serve through November 2025, when the outcome of the municipal election will determine the seat going forward: "The new board member will be seated tonight and will serve through November 2025."

The interviews were conducted in a consistent format: candidates answered three prepared questions and took follow-up questions from board members. Candidates who spoke publicly during the interviews included Lindsey Stratton, Lane Caddy, a candidate identified as Jabawi, Casey Fanolio, James Boddington and Stacy Herbert. Several board members praised the candidates' willingness to serve.

Nut graf: The appointment followed rounds of public interviews, board deliberation and multiple straw polls. Board members split their initial top-two preferences across candidates, then narrowed the choice to Stacy Herbert and Casey Fanolio before a final vote; the board then moved to a formal motion to appoint Herbert.

How the board decided: After each trustee named two preferred candidates, the board reported an initial straw poll that produced a tie between Stacy and Casey (each named by five members in the first round). Trustees then took another vote limited to the two finalists using a 16-point scoring method (each trustee had two votes to allocate). That tally produced 9 votes for Stacy Herbert and 7 votes for Casey Fanolio. A member then made a motion to appoint Herbert; the board approved the motion by voice vote.

Discussion and advocacy: Board members spoke for both finalists during deliberations. Board member Annique (last name not specified) spoke in favor of giving a chance to Casey, noting that Casey’s interview emphasized issues the board has been discussing, including behavioral health and workforce development: "So that's why I think I'd like to give Casey a try." Ashley (last name not specified) advocated for Stacy based on long-standing community involvement and committee attendance, saying in part that Stacy "really is" the kind of parent and volunteer the district values. Board solicitor Brian (last name not specified) advised the board on procedure and noted that state law requires a majority vote to fill a vacancy: "the school code requires that the vacancy be filled by a majority vote of the board."

Outcome and next steps: The motion to appoint Stacy Herbert passed. The board president then welcomed Herbert and asked remaining candidates to stay engaged in district work and future elections. The board recorded that a formal oath of office must be administered by a notary outside of an organizational meeting; the superintendent advised that, because a notary was not present at the meeting, Herbert will take the oath and complete required paperwork before exercising voting rights. Administration said she would be sworn before a notary and sign the affidavit the next day, after which she will be an active voting member.

Context and what the appointment covers: The appointed seat fills a vacancy with a term ending in November 2025. The board emphasized continuity — several trustees said appointing someone now gives the district continuity through the summer and into the new school year rather than waiting until December. Candidates and board members discussed district priorities during interviews, including artificial intelligence in classrooms, student behavioral health, technology and community engagement.

Ending: The board thanked all six candidates for participating in a public interview process it described as challenging. Trustees encouraged those not selected to remain involved and to consider running in upcoming elections.

Speakers quoted or cited in this article are listed in the article's speaker roster below.