District 26 welcomes new board member

Five years ago, Jason Larry moved his young family to Cary to raise his daughters in a small-town atmosphere and enroll them in Cary schools.

Now, with two daughters at Three Oaks School and another on her way there, the 37-year-old who works in corporate real estate is taking a more active role in his daughters' education.

By unanimous vote, Larry joined the Cary Elementary School District 26 school board this week, replacing Julie Lehman, who resigned last month because of medical issues.

Larry joins the board at a time when district officials are grappling with how to erase a recurring deficit - weighing options that include cutting funding for after-school activities and closing a school.

"I want to help on those issues," Larry said. "If we do the job right, we're not going to have a negative impact on our kids' education."

The school board interviewed seven applicants to fill the vacancy. Larry will serve until the April 2011 elections, according to the district.

"The candidates were very strong candidates, which made it very difficult for the board to choose," Superintendent Brian Coleman said. "We believe Jason will be a very strong addition to the school board."