Two have applied for the vacant Bremerton School Board position.

The pool for the empty seat includes Bremerton PTA Council Vice President Dave Rubie and parent and community activist Jim Higgins. Rubie was a previous school board candidate during last year’s primary election.

Former Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman and retired Navy captain and business owner Bruce Woolnough also applied, but withdrew their names.

Rubie, who has remained an active school volunteer since his primary bid, said his main priorities include preventing future teacher lay-offs and seeing more engagement between the school board and the community.

“I would like to see a bit more public involvement in the school board,” he said.

Rubie has a son in fourth grade at Crownhill Elementary.

Higgins, who has sons in first and fourth grade at Kitsap Lake Elementary, said he wants to increase the quality of Bremerton schools.

“The Bremerton School District has been notoriously underperforming and there are lots of families that leave the area because of the school system,” he said, adding he wants to see more teacher control in the classroom and less administrative influence.

The two candidates are applying for the post vacated by former school board member Louis Mitchell, who announced his resignation Feb. 11. The school board will interview candidates at 5 p.m. April 22 and the selected candidate will be sworn in at the board meeting at 5 p.m. May 6.