IRVINE : 11 Candidates Seek School Board Seat

Eleven candidates are vying to fill a vacant seat on the school board.

The candidates attended a forum sponsored by the Parent-Teacher Assn. this week. At either its Tuesday or Feb. 1 meeting, the Irvine Unified School District board will appoint one of the hopefuls to serve the year remaining in the term of former board member Greg Smith, who resigned last fall to join the Irvine City Council.

The candidates are:

* Hank Adler, a certified public accountant and former Irvine finance commissioner.

* Brent Caldwell, a civil engineer who has served on several school committees.

* Matthew Foreman, a UC Irvine math professor.

* Randolf Katz, an attorney who has served on several school committees.

* Craig Grossman, chair of the speech department at Irvine Valley College.

* Stephen McArthur, a commercial real estate agent who has served on several school committees.

* Pardoe McGregor, a retired teacher and school administrator.

* Edward Morse, an architect and former teacher.

* Frances Smith, a clinical psychologist who has taught at Chapman College.

* Pete Snetsinger, a teacher in Huntington Beach.

* Jim Spear, a planning administrator who has served as president of the Irvine YMCA.

The school board decided to appoint someone to the post rather than hold a special election, which would have cost at least $80,000.