The primary election is Tuesday.
Ballots must be postmarked by that day. You can also drop off your ballot until 8 p.m. Election Day at one of seven 24-hour ballot drop boxes in the county. In North Kitsap, the ballot drop box is located at the Poulsbo Fire Station, 911 N.E. Liberty Road, Poulsbo. For other ballot drop box locations, go to www.kitsapgov.com/aud/elections/ballot_deposit.htm. You can track your ballot online at https://wa.liveballot.com/kitsapTuesday, North Kitsap voters will pick two candidates to advance to the general election for North Kitsap School Board District 3. The candidates are Ken Ames, Doug Prichard and Beth Worthington.
— Ames (www.kenamesfornksb.com), a project planning engineer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, has the most school board experience of the candidates. He was appointed to the board in October after Kathleen Dassel resigned. He served on the South Kitsap School Board from 1993-2000 and on the state Board of Education from 2000-01.
At a candidate forum July 16, Ames said his experience gives him “mental peripheral vision” — he’s able to see different sides of issues and understands how each decision the board makes affects every child in the classroom.
— Prichard (www.dougprichard.org), vice president of information technology for an investment firm, said he would demand budget alternatives and assess how each decision will impact enrollment and student achievement; establish measures of district financial and educational health; require regular monitoring of district measures and demand corrective action when required; and determine why the district’s enrollment is declining.
“We must understand the reasons students leave,” he wrote on his website. “Only then can we make decisions that avoid further enrollment losses.”
— Worthington (http://bethworthington728.wordpress.com), a systems engineer, is a member of the school district budget committee, campaigned for a statewide initiative that required smaller class sizes, and is a former soccer coach and Girl Scout troop leader. She wants the school board to have more community engagement and transparency, and to be evaluated on a regular basis.
Regarding the next budget cycle: “First, have strategies and defined organizational objectives to use as a basis. The strategies are derived from community need, current challenges and advantages, and organizational competencies. Given what I have heard from the community so far, these strategies should include a vibrant music program, smaller class size in elementary schools, and a broad range of classes/opportunities for secondary students. Secondly, let our practitioners/experts (i.e., principals, program leaders, educators) define educational systems and processes that result in our desired outcomes.”
Three fine candidates. Two will advance to the November election and one will represent you on the school board come 2014. Be sure and vote Tuesday.
