KSD appoints new trustee

KELLOGG –– Earlier this month the Kellogg School District Board of Trustees appointed Chelsea Osterberg to their vacant Zone 2 position.

Osterberg was one of three applicants who were interviewed during a special meeting of the Board of Trustees this month, along with Ethan Wendt and Carole Urquhart.

Osterberg is a Kellogg High School graduate, former standout athlete, and a veteran of the United States Navy.

During the interview the applicants were asked a series of questions in panel form, each one taking the lead as a new question was presented.

Osterberg describes herself as a fact-based decision maker with a goal of insuring that a quality education is provided to the students of the Kellogg School District.

While many of the answers were shared by the three, Osterbergs key focuses were items like funding and academics, while emphasizing the variety of secondary schooling options – not just traditional college.

Osterberg believes that schools shouldn’t necissarily force college on to students, but options like trade schools should be more heavily explored and encouraged.

But this all tied back into her primary goal of wanted to make sure that every student has an opportunity to receive a quality education while under the guidance of the KSD.

KSD Board Chairwoman Bonnie Farmin was pleased with the three candidates, all from Zone 2, and believed that any one of them would have made a fine addition to the board, but ultimately the decision was made to go with Osterberg.

“The board looks forward to working with Mrs. Osterberg as a member of the board,” Farmin said. “She will meet soon with Superintendent Pearson, board clerk Megan Bumgardner and myself to go over the responsibilities for board members.”

During last November’s election season, former Zone 1 Trustee Todd Sheppard decided to not seek re-election and in the month since that Election Day, no one had shown interest in the position.

Sheppard’s seat was declared vacant during the January 12 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Under Idaho Code, the District had 90 days from the time the vacancy was declared to fill the seat from within the declared zone.

After the 90-day period, had there been no applicants from the declared zone, the board would then begin considering applications from other zones to fill the position.

Osterberg, who will hold the position through January 2023, will be sworn in at the upcoming board of trustees meeting in April.

The seat will be up for election in November of this year.