13 seek Janison’s vacant post on School Board

Thirteen people have applied to fill a vacancy on the Clark County School Board, including Alison Turner, president of the Nevada Parent Teacher Association; Michael D. Saxe, a pediatric dentist; and John Cole, a member of the Clark County School District’s Bond Oversight Committee.

The School Board is seeking to fill the seat left open by the resignation of Terri Janison, who had two years of her term left.

Other well-known candidates in education circles include Jose Melendrez, assistant vice president for diversity and inclusion at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Y. Caryl Suzuki, principal of the district’s Southwest Behavior Junior-Senior High School.

Monday was the application deadline for the District E position, which represents northwest Clark County. The district on Tuesday released the 13 applicant names on its website.

Rounding out the list of applicants are: Steve Greco, Meryl Grant, Jacqueline M. Johns, Suzanne Lee, Eric Morelli, Loren Piel, Jose Solorio and Sindy Shell.

Solorio is asking for his second appointment to the School Board. He served in 1993-94 to complete the term of Mark Schofield, who resigned from the board to become the county assessor.

Solorio also ran unsuccessfully for the State Board of Education in 2010.

Morelli unsuccessfully ran as a Republican in the 2008 and 2010 elections for state Assembly District 3.

The School Board plans to interview the applicants and possibly appoint Janison’s successor on Jan. 20.

Janison, the former board president, resigned in December to work for Gov. Brian Sandoval as his community relations director.

Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug@reviewjournal.com or 702-374-7917.