Former Westport School Committee member Michelle Orlando, who lost her seat on the committee in the April election, has submitted a letter of interest for re-admission to the committee.

The school committee has had a vacant seat since mid-July, when former member Nancy Tavares resigned from her post. Tavares, who was elected to the school committee in 2014 and was last re-elected in June 2020, was two thirds of her way through her three-year term when she submitted a letter of resignation on Wednesday, July 13. There was no explanation included in her resignation letter.

At a recent meeting, select board members said that they would meet later this summer with the school committee to review candidates to fill the seat, which expires next year, and then appoint one to the seat. That meeting is set for Monday, Sept. 12, and those wishing to be considered for the appointment have until Friday, Aug. 26, to submit a letter of interest.

Orlando was voted off the committee in April, placing third in voting to incumbent committee member Melissa Pacheco and political newcomer Gloria Cabral for one of two available seats. Orlando was hoping to win a second term following her election in 2019, but placed third in voting with 242 votes, behind Pacheco (308 votes) and Cabral (290 votes).

According to Paula Brown in the town clerk's office, nobody else has yet submitted a letter of interest to run.