Twelve candidates interviewed for Antigo school board vacancy; no appointment made

The Unified School District of Antigo interviewed 12 candidates to fill a vacant board seat, asking each the same eight questions in a round-robin format intended to prevent leaked questions and ensure fairness.

Candidates included longtime residents, business owners, veterans, parents and volunteers. Several emphasized community engagement, improved communication, and prioritizing students. Donna Smith, the first candidate interviewed, summarized a common theme: "I feel as though transparency is key," she told the board.

After completing the interview series the board conducted an alphabetical roll-call appointment vote. No candidate received the five votes needed to be seated; the highest tallies recorded were four votes for individual nominees. The board said it would accept additional letters of interest starting the following morning and through 3:00 p.m. Thursday, June 11, and will consider the appointment again at its next meeting.

The board and its attorney discussed procedure, including whether to narrow the candidate list before voting; board members expressed differing views about whether to press for a result the same night or reconvene with a revised process. The board also reminded applicants that membersnotes are public records if shared, and confirmed the interview questions and candidate packets were provided to board members during the meeting.

Next procedural step: letters of interest will be accepted by the district office through the announced deadline and the appointment will be an agenda item at the next meeting.