CHAMPAIGN - The Champaign school board will interview eight candidates for its seventh seat in open session next week.

Interviews are scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at the Mellon Administrative Center, 703 S. New St., C.

The school board will allow each candidate to make a one-minute opening and closing statement, and answer the same several questions the board developed, said board President Sue Grey.

"It's our interview of the candidates," Grey said, which means the public is welcome to attend, but will not be able to participate.

The seat was left vacant when school board member Greg Novak died in March. It will come up for election in April 2013.

Twelve people applied for the seat, said school board member Tom Lockman. Those who will be interviewed are:

• Laurie Bonnett
• Patricia Brady
• Tony Bruno
• G. David Frye
• Carolyn Savage
• Ileana Saveley
• Charles Schultz
• Alissia Young

Grey said after the interviews, the school board will discuss the candidates in closed session and hope to make a decision that night. Members will then vote on their decision in open session Monday, and the new school board member would be sworn in at the board's April 23 study session.

The school board must notify the Regional Office of Education by April 21 of its decision, which gives board members some time if they can't come to a decision Monday night, Grey said.