Lawrence Excited to Join School Board

The library and planning commissions will have to carry on without John Lawrence for the next year and a half at least.

Lawrence, who was appointed to the Falls Church City Public Schools Board Tuesday, said he will miss working with the other groups but is excited to join the school board.

“It’s something I thought about for years,” Lawrence said Tuesday. “It’s one of the reasons I ran for city council. I ran on a support the school board platform. Ultimately if I want to support the schools, the school board is the place to be.”

Lawrence was appointed after a 4-2 vote by the school board. He is expected to take the Oath of Office next week and join the board at their Oct. 9 meeting. Susan Kearney, school board chair, said originally, there were six candidates vying for the one spot after Rosaura Aguerrebere resigned her position on the school board in August after six-years. One of the candidates withdrew their name from consideration leaving Lawrence, former city councilman Lawrence Webb, Amy Willis, Robert LaJeunesse and Margaret Ward.

Lawrence, who unsuccessfully ran for city council in May, will serve as a board member through November 2013. He said his family is very happy for him and supportive. Being appointed to the school board is a great honor, he said.

“I’m grateful for the school board giving me this honor,” Lawrence said. “I plan to spend the next year and a half showing them they made a good selection.”