Franklin residents have until Friday, Oct. 2, to apply for a vacant seat on the Franklin Special School District Board of Education.

The opening follows the Sept. 14 resignation of Dr. Alicia Barker, who had two years left in her term, according to a district announcement. Barker served on the board for 14 years, the district said in a Sept. 18 post on X. The person appointed will serve the remainder of her term, which runs through August 2028.

The board voted to approve the selection process at its Sept. 14 meeting, according to meeting minutes. Board member Allena Bell made the motion, and Tim Stillings seconded it.

Barker, a practicing audiologist at Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Franklin, co-founded and chaired The N.O.O.K. (Needs Of Our Kids) in 2017. The nonprofit provides clothing and essential items to students in crisis across Williamson County. She attained Level V Boardsmanship from the Tennessee School Boards Association.

No public statement from Barker about her reasons for leaving has appeared in district records.

How to apply

Applicants must submit a letter of interest by Oct. 2 to Carol Riordan, executive administrative assistant, at 205 Eddy Lane, Franklin, TN 37064, or by email at [email protected].

Under Board Policy 1.102, candidates must be at least 21 years old, reside within the Franklin Special School District and have lived there for at least one year before the qualifying deadline. They must also be qualified voters and hold a high school diploma or equivalency credential approved by the Tennessee State Board of Education.

What happens next

All qualified applicants will interview with the board during a public work session. According to the district announcement, each candidate will be asked the same primary questions, with board members allowed to ask follow-ups. The session date has not been set.

The board is scheduled to vote on the appointment at its Monday, Oct. 19, meeting. The appointed member may run for the seat in the 2028 election cycle.

Five members remain on the board. Current officers, elected at the Sept. 14 meeting, are Chairman Robert Blair, Vice Chair Allena Bell, Treasurer Robin Newman and Secretary Kevin Townsel. Stillings holds the remaining filled seat.

Residents with questions about the process or board responsibilities can contact Director of Schools Dr. David Snowden at [email protected].