People interested in serving on the Lawrence school board can start applying May 28 for the right to fill Keith Diaz Moore’s unexpired term.

Keith Diaz Moore is an associate dean and associate professor of architecture at the Kansas University School of Architecture, Design and Planning. He was recently named dean of the University of Utah's College of Architecture and Planning in Salt Lake City.

Diaz Moore, who teaches at Kansas University’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning, recently announced that he would resign his seat effective May 27 to take a new job as dean of the University of Utah’s College of Architecture and Design.

Lawrence Superintendent Rick Doll explained that under state law the board cannot begin accepting applications until the seat actually becomes vacant.

So, on May 28, the district will publish a notice in the Journal-World announcing the availability of an application that will be posted on the district’s website, www.usd497.org.

Applicants must be eligible voters who reside within the boundaries of the school district.

In addition to basic biographical information, the application will ask what elementary, middle and high school attendance area the applicants live in; whether they currently have any children attending Lawrence schools; and what other school or civic activities they have participated in.

It will also ask applicants to explain why they want to serve on the board and what qualities they think are important to being a successful board member.

Applications will be due by 5 p.m. on June 13. The remaining board members will then select one of those applicants at the board’s next meeting, scheduled for June 30, to fill Diaz Moore’s unexpired term. Diaz Moore’s term expires June 30, 2015.

In other business, the board accepted a bid of $4.844 million from Combes Construction LLC to perform the bond-funded construction and renovation projects at New York Elementary School. Assistant Superintendent Kyle Hayden said that was slightly less than the amount budgeted for the project.

Design work for New York is already underway, and construction is scheduled to begin in June.

The board also met for about 45 minutes in a closed-door executive session to discuss the status of negotiations on a new contract with the Lawrence Education Association. No action was taken following that meeting.