Two Hayes residents have submitted letters of interest to the Gloucester County School Board regarding the York Magisterial District seat vacancy. Rip Vernon Rowland and Elisa A. Nelson expressed interest in the seat, which is being vacated by Carla Hook on June 15.

In her letter, Nelson said she attended Gloucester County Public Schools and graduated from Gloucester High School in 1996. She has been a licensed insurance agent since 1997 and owns her own insurance business in Hayes. 

Nelson said she became involved with the school system in 2010 when her daughter attended the former T.C. Walker Elementary and served as vice-president of the Walker PTA. She has been president of the Page Middle School PTA since 2015.

Nelson is also the Page representative on the GCPS Parent Advisory Board and was a member of the 2017 GCPS Redistricting Committee.

“I have always been an advocate of improving our school division and making sure monies were responsibly spent. I have attended many, many school board meetings, work sessions, and joint meetings throughout the years, always desiring to “stay in the know” and being “supportive of the staff and board,” Nelson said in her letter.

Rowland previously served on the Gloucester County School Board from 1993 through January 1997 and served as its vice chairman in 1994 through 1995.

An engineer, Rowland holds associate’s degrees in mechanical engineering technology and drafting and design technology, both from Thomas Nelson Community College. He has been employed by JP Harvey Engineering Solutions in Hampton since 2001. 

The applicants were invited to include letters of support from York district residents with their letters of interest in the vacancy. Nelson included six letters of support with her letter of interest and Rowland included two, according to the school board clerk.  

Both applicants will have the opportunity to address the board for up to 10 minutes during its monthly meeting Tuesday in the T.C. Walker Education Center. They may also introduce one or two persons from the York district to speak briefly on their behalf. 

The board is slated to interview the applicants in a closed session on June 22 and is expected to appoint a York representative during the open session of its June 22 work session. The appointment is to a term that begins July 5 and ends Dec. 31. 

A general election will be held for the York seat in November.