Roanoke School Board To Gain New Faces As Leaders Step Off
School board members Mark Cathey and Diane Casola are stepping off this June, while incumbent Michael Cherry II is seeking another term.
School board members Mark Cathey and Diane Casola are stepping off this June. Cathey, who was first appointed in 2015, is term-limited and Casola is not seeking a second term. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROANOKE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Two new Roanoke school board members will take over this summer with the departures of Mark Cathey and Diane Casola.
Board member Michael Cherry II, whose three-year term is also up for renewal July 1, has applied for reappointment. Cathey, who was first appointed in 2015, is term-limited and Casola is not seeking a second term.
Roanoke remains one of the few localities in Virginia where City Council appoints school board members instead of through elections. The seven-person board oversees school administrators and a district of about 14,000 students spread across two dozen schools.
Council is accepting applications until 5 p.m. Monday for the three open positions.