Aubri Juhasz / WWNO Newly elected school board members sat for their first slate of meetings this week, probing district priorities ahead of this year’s charter application process. The district is responsible for assessing requests to open new schools, which can come from charter management organizations that already work with the district or newcomers. The application process begins in early February with applications due in April. After that, the district takes two months to review materials, conduct interviews and hold public hearings, with Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. expected to make final recommendations to the school board on June 11. Last year, two organizations completed the application process. Kevin George, the district’s chief accountability officer, told board members he expects this year’s number to be higher based on the number of charter management organizations that have already expressed interest. If approved, new schools would open in the fall of 2022 at the earliest.