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WEST MIDDLESEX — The West Middlesex school board is back to full strength after Tuesday evening’s special meeting.

District resident David Poore was elected Tuesday to fill the school board’s vacancy in a 5-2 vote.

Board members Rochelle Newton, Michael Seech, Ashley Rupert, Dr. Andrew Erb and Hope Dalessandro voted in favor, while members Susan Preston and Ashley Buzard voted against.

Board member Karsyn Rupert was absent.

The move came after the unexpected passing of longtime school board member and President Theodore W. Hennessy, who died on Aug. 11.

The school board discussed the vacancy created by Hennessy’s passing at its Aug. 15 regular meeting and decided to move forward with appointing a replacement during a special meeting Tuesday.

The vote came after a public interview, discussion and deliberation process by the board, which involved interviewing four candidates. There had been five applications, but the fifth candidate was unable to attend the meeting.

Poore is a STEM teacher — an acronym that refers to science, technology, engineering and math — in Lawrence County at the Ellwood City Area School District’s Lincoln Jr. Sr. High School, while operating a DJ business on the side.

However, Poore said he did not have a traditional career path toward education. Poore spent 10 years in ride maintenance at the Kentwood amusement park near Pittsburgh and then moved into computer numerical control (CNC) work at a mill.

Poore eventually took on training other employees in CNC, and decided to shift his career into education.

Poore taught STEM in a Tennessee school district, before he settled in the West Middlesex area with his wife and began teaching at Ellwood City Area School District.

While there, Poore helped turn the school’s former metal shop into a STEM lab, funded mostly through donations and grants from the community and local businesses.

Some board said Poore, not being a West Middlesex native, could have point-of-view on the board.

Poore’s ability to secure funding for different STEM lab equipment and projects while working within a budget was also cited by board members as a qualification.

“He brings something to the table that we currently don’t have,” Dalessandro said.

The board members thanked all of the candidates for their willingness to volunteer their time.

“It’s not easy to find people who are willing to volunteer in this capacity,” Erb said.

The school board discussed the vacancy created by Hennessy’s passing at its Aug. 15 regular meeting and decided to move forward with appointing a replacement during a special meeting Tuesday.

West Middlesex school Superintendent Raymond Omer previously said the district’s code and board policy required the vacancy be filled within 30 days, which necessitated the special meeting instead of waiting until the regularly-scheduled September meeting.

Following its Aug. 15 meeting, the board issued a public notice and accepted applications through Sept. 5.

Poore will serve until the next municipal election in November, 2023, according to the meeting agenda.

The board completed the task of filling Hennessy’s loss when it elected member Susan Preston to the position of vice president in a unanimous vote.

Preston will serve as vice president effective Tuesday until the board’s reorganization meeting on Dec. 5.

Board member Dr. Andrew Erb previously served as vice president, but accepted the role of president after Hennessy’s passing. Like Preston, Erb will serve as president until the reorganization meeting.

The next meeting of the West Middlesex school board is 6:30 p.m. Sept. 26.

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