WINDSOR – Four candidates have emerged as possible replacements for the District-4 seat on the Bertie County Board of Education.

The seat became open with the sudden passing of board member Barry McGlone earlier this month.

The four current Bertie County Board of Ed members will now conduct a special called meeting in closed session today (Thursday) to interview the four applicants at the school district offices (715 US Hwy 13 North in Windsor) across from the new Bertie High School beginning at 3 p.m.

The appointee will not be sworn in to the seat until the next regularly scheduled Board of Ed meeting in Windsor on April 17.

The four candidates are:

Alton Parker, a Roxobel farmer and former Roxobel town commissioner who served previously on the Bertie Board of Ed from 2006-2014.

Fannie Pugh of Lewiston, currently a Mathematics instructor at Roanoke-Chowan Community College, and former math teacher with Bertie, Martin, and Halifax County schools. She was also an assistant principal at Elizabeth City Middle School in the early 90’s.

Norman M. Cherry, also of Lewiston, is a former teacher, principal, and coach with Bertie County Schools, and is currently the Director of Martin Community College, Bertie campus in Windsor. Cherry also served 12 years as a Bertie County Commissioner.

Vivian Saunders, another Lewiston-Woodville resident, who is founder-director of Bertie County Hive Alternative School. She sits on several county service boards (YMCA, Economic Development, etc.), and is a world renowned public speaker.

Board of Education chairman Bobby Occena says each of his fellow board members (Jo Davis Johnson, Tarsha Dudley, and Emma Johnson) will come to today’s interviews with questions for the four candidates.

“All the candidates have been active in the community,” Occena said. “This will be done in closed session because of personnel questions. We hope we can get it done by this evening.”

Whoever is appointed to fill the vacancy would only serve the remainder of McGlone’s current term, or until the Nov. 6 election or Dec. 2018 swearing-in of the new Board. Should the appointee decide to run for a full four-year term, filing for that seat begins at noon on Monday, June 11 through Friday, July 6 at the county Board of Elections office in Windsor.

Currently, two more school board seats in addition to District 4 are up for election; District 2 and District 3, all for four-year terms.