by Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

Six candidates are vying for three seats on the Orange County Schools Board of Education. Incumbent Al Hartkopf is running for re-election, challenged by newcomers Eddie Eubanks, Steve Halkiotis, Tony McKnight, Jeff Michalski and Stan Morris.

School board member Dennis Whitling resigned in February, following his arrest on charges of embezzlement. School board member Liz Brown is not running for re-election.

Hartkopf, 50, has served on the school board for four years. He works as a project manager and lives in Hillsborough. His two daughters attend A.L Stanback Middle School and Hillsborough Elementary School.

Eubanks, 64, has worked in social work for 30 years. He lives in Hillsborough.

Halkiotis, 64, served on the Board of County Commissioners for 20 years. He worked in Orange County Schools for 30 years as a principal, teacher and district administrator. He lives in Hillsborough.

McKnight, 41, ran unsuccessfully for school board in 2006. He is a former teacher and lives in Hillsborough.

Michalski, 38, works for the Caring Family Network. He is a Mebane resident and has a son who attends Hillsborough Elementary School and a daughter who might attend Hillsborough Elementary as a kindergartner in the fall.

Morris, 47, works as a business operations officer with the American Red Cross. He lives in Rougemont and has two children who attend Cameron Park Elementary School.