Three Finalists Selected for Open Seat on School Board

Three individuals have been selected as finalists to fill an open seat on the Des Moines School Board.

The three finalists are:

  • JOSEPH JONGEWAARD: He is a long-time community volunteer, businessman and public servant, having served as an aide to former Governor Tom Vilsack and U.S. Senator Tom Harkin. Most recently, Jongewaard was a project manager at the Iowa Department of Economic Development, helping to develop the state’s wind energy industry. He holds a bachelors degree in economics from Iowa State University.
  • SHANE SCHULTE: He is an active school volunteer, serving as president of both the Des Moines Metro and Hubbell Elementary School PTAs, and is a member of the district’s Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee. Schulte works at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and a MBA from Drake University.
  • PATRICIA WOODWARD-YOUNG: She is an experienced educator at both the elementary school and college level, and is currently a professor of education at Simpson College, where she has taught for the past 20 years. Woodward-Young holds a PhD from the University of Iowa.

A committee of the school board met this evening and selected the three finalists from ten applicants for the vacancy. The committee consisted of Dick Murphy, Connie Boesen, Cindy Elsbernd and Bill Howard.

The open seat on the school board resulted from the resignation of Patty Link on January 10.

The three finalists will hold a public interview with the entire School Board on Tuesday, January 24. That session will begin at 5:00 PM and held in the Multi-Purpose Room at Central Campus, 1800 Grand Avenue.

The new board member will be selected by Friday, January 27. The individual chosen to fill be sworn in at the School Board’s February 7 meeting, and will serve for the remainder of Link’s term, which ends in September 2013.