On a cold day in late February, a group of 10 concerned education advocates met to discuss the November 2019 school board elections. Our concerns focused on crucial issues within our district: lack of public trust, the integrity of district management, deteriorating staff morale and engagement, and the need for stronger governance and oversight.
It was clear that major change was needed for the district to raise the academic bar and help every student succeed in school and life. With three of the five school board seats up for election on November 5, we saw an opportunity to positively change the direction of our school district and ensure the future of education in our Valley.
We formed a nonpartisan school board search committee that quickly grew to 20-plus people at our monthly meetings. Through the spring and summer, we conducted an exhaustive search for board candidates with the right expertise and skill sets. After a six-month period, three impressive and highly qualified candidates emerged: Alexis Lindberg (Zone 1), Keith Roark (Zone 3), and Lara Stone (Zone 5).
To be clear, these three candidates do not answer to our search committee and are not affiliated with any special interest group. Each candidate has pledged to listen to and represent the needs and values of our broad and diverse community; work to improve teacher morale; establish policies and resources that lead to higher levels of student achievement; insist on transparency, accountability and open communication; find common ground on the critical work of leading for equity and excellence; and reestablish the board’s authority and responsibility for governing the district.
We support Alexis, Keith and Lara because they are systems thinkers and deep learners with the experience and skills necessary to accomplish these lofty goals. They are committed to a brighter future for our students and schools. We are filled with optimism as we envision new leadership that represents our entire community. They’ve earned our votes, and we hope they’ll earn yours, too.
Board search committee members:
Angela Burrell, Richard Canfield, Ed.D., Don Cunningham, Jay Dahlstrom, Darlene Dyer, Daryl Fauth, Len Harlig, Wendy Jaquet, Christine Keirn, Cheryl Knight, Molly Page, Andrew Parnes, Susie Quesnel, Jennifer Schwartz and Stacy Whitman