A longtime Coupeville School District volunteer is the newest member of the school board.

Board members appointed Alison Perera to their ranks during a meeting Dec. 15. Perera will fill the seat vacated at the end of October by Glenda Merwine, who resigned due to her health and to spend more time with her family.

Perera has had children attending Coupeville schools since 2012. She has volunteered with the Parent Teacher Association, the Central Whidbey Soccer Club, the Robotics Club and the Strategic Planning Committee, and currently serves on the Coupeville Farm to School board and the Instructional Materials Committee.

She said she has been following the various goings-on of the school board since around 2019. When the position opened up, she decided to throw her hat in the ring alongside six other applicants.

“This just felt like a really great opportunity to contribute to what I see them doing,” she said.

The position will be up for re-election in 2023. Perera will be formally sworn in during a board retreat Jan. 13.

“I want you to know that I am thankful to have had so much interest from very qualified people stepping forward to serve our school community and that I look forward to working with Alison as she joins our team,” Superintendent Steve King wrote in a message to district staff.