Tuesday's District 3 runoff election between Wake County school board member Kevin Hill and challenger Heather Losurdo pits two very different candidates with differing life experiences and views.

As noted in today's article by Thomas Goldsmith, Hill is the long-time Raleigh resident and career educator who has made some decisions that he feels are data-driven even when they've been unpopular with constituents.

As noted in today's article, Losurdo is the relative newcomer who had a challenging childhood and early adulthood that she says has helped shaped her into a better person.

Several prominent educators, all of whom are Democrats, have endorsed the five school board candidates backed by the Wake County Democratic Party.

In a press release Wednesday, the Wake Democratic Party promoted the endorsements given by the eight educators to Kevin Hill in District 3, Keith Sutton in District 4, Jim Martin in District 5, Christine Kushner in District 6 and Susan Evans in District 8.

The endorsements come from some familiar names, including former Wake Superintendent Bob Bridges, former Associate State Superintendent Dudley Flood, retired Wake principal Diane Payne, former Deputy State Superintendent J.B. Buxton and former N.C. Public School Forum director John Dornan.

"These endorsements represent our shared view that these five candidates have articulated a direction and possess a vision that are in the best interests of the students and residents of Wake County," says the joint statement from the educators. "These five candidates have pledged to focus on student learning - not just student assignment - and to support our teachers and principals to help all students achieve at high levels. We believe that among all the candidates running, it is these five that deserve the opportunity to serve and to put Wake County schools on the right track."

The Wake County school board appointed four principals today.

Keith Richardson was chosen to lead York Elementary School in North Raleigh. He has been an assistant principal at Sycamore Creek Elementary since 2009 and will receive a salary of $64,560.

Cheryl Stidham will run Stough Elementary School in North Raleigh. Stidham has been an elementary school principal in Ohio since 2006 and will receive a salary of $77,512.

SEE END OF POST FOR BIO SHEETS

The Wake County school board hired a new principal tonight at Yates Mill Elementary School and named an interim principal at Carroll Middle School.

Anne Marie Johnson was tapped to lead Yates Mill after having been an assistant principal at Wildwood Forest Elementary since Aug. 2009. She will receive a salary of $82,002.

Diane Payne will fill in as interim principal of Carroll Middle through March 31. Payne was a longtime Wake principal who had led Broughton High for 13 years before retiring in 2004. She's receivng the pro-rated equivalent of a $115,153 annual salary.

Earlier this evening, Carroll parents pleaded with the board to appoint a strong permanent principal at the school and to award a magnet program. The principal search is ongoing but it looks like there won't be a magnet for Carroll this fall.

Retired Wake County principal Carolyn Morrison was the school board's choice this afternoon to fill the vacancy caused by Beverley Clark's resignation.

Morrison was picked in a 4-3 vote over Christine Kushner, a parent and community volunteer. Seven people had applied for the job, including retired Broughton High Principal Diane Payne, who fell out of the running after making it into the final three.

Morrison will finish out Clark's term, which expires November 2011.

(I won't officially be back at work until Wednesday so I'll try to get caught up with your questions and updating things such as campaign finance reports after then.)

UPDATE

Click here for today's article by Ray Martin.

Longtime former Broughton High School Principal Diane Payne became the seventh and final applicant today hoping to replace Beverley Clark on the school board.

In her application, Payne stressed her lengthy career as an educator, including the nearly 13 years she spent as principal of Broughton High School in Raleigh until her retirement in 2005. Among the items in her application, she supports the Wednesday early dismissals and praises the diversity policy.

“If selected, I will bring both my varied background and my student-focused perspective to the Board and in so doing hope to do my part to achieve the Board’s [100 percent graduation] Goal,” Payne wrote in her application.

UPDATED JULIE NAU'S APPLICATION TO INCLUDE REFERENCES

We've got new principals for Daniels Middle School and Swift Creek Elementary School.

The school board just approved Elizabeth Battle as the new principal of Daniels Middle School. She replaces Stephen Mares, who is now principal of Broughton High.

Battle has been an assistant principal at Sanderson High since 2004. Here's an interesting tidbit. She's a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

UPDATE

Bio sheets now at end of post. 

We've got four new principals tonight, including one for Broughton High School.

Stephen Mares will be Broughton's new principal. He's been principal of Daniels Middle School since 2005.

The start date at Broughton and the end date at Daniels hasn't been set yet.

UPDATE

Bios at end of post.