Three names on ballot, but two candidates in CK School Board primary

SILVERDALE — Central Kitsap School Board District 5 yielded three candidates, then two, then two again.

Robert Grady, Eric Greene and Jason Skifstad were on the Aug. 1 ballot, but Grady had pulled out of the race too late to have his name removed. And so, the position was on the primary ballot. And the results — Greene and Skifstad were the top finishers and advance to the Nov. 7 general election — were not unexpected.

As of 8:10 p.m. Aug. 1, Greene received 3,835 votes and Skifstad received 2,053. Grady, the non-candidate, received 627.

“I have been honored to represent the Central Kitsap School District [District] 5 since 2008, both as an appointed and elected school board member,” Greene said in his candidate statement. “For over nine years, I have focused on ensuring CKSD offers Kitsap County’s best learning opportunities for all students and that staff have the right tools to provide students with knowledge, skills and confidence that translate to both college and careers.”

Greene has been a program manager at Commander, Navy Region Northwest; a U.S. Navy commander; a social studies and sciences secondary teacher; and a coach in the Oak Harbor and Ocean Springs school district (the latter is in Mississippi).

“During my most recent term, I championed development of CKSD’s Strategic Plan, a road map to greater future success for all CKSD schools,” Greene said. “I am deeply committed to the strategic goals of student and fiscal responsibility. I continue to advocate for using technology to improve instruction, increasing family engagement in the learning process and creating additioal learning options to reflect that one size does not fit all in public education. I strongly support building community partnerships to expand resources and real-world opportunities for students.”

In his candidate statement, Skifstad said “gratitude and growth” motivated him to run for school board

“My wife Shirley is a teacher, and good schools were a big reason why we made our home in Central Kitsap decades ago. CK schools prepared our two daughters to earn biology degreees at University of Washington, and our oldest currently attends UW dental school.” A son, Jaeger, is a Sounders Academy alum and was a Player of the Year at CKHS. “He’s now a UW freshman,” Skifstad wrote. “Our youngest son enjoys Cougar Valley Elementary. Great work so far, CK schools!”

Skifstad has eight years of experience as a financial adviser, and 10 years experience as a practicing attorney and small business owner. He’s also been a coach for Math Olympiad and WordMasters, an assistant soccer coach, a worship team member at Newlife Church and is a current board member for the Kitsap County Republican Party. He’s a founding board member of Scarlet Road, a nonprofit that fights human trafficking, and a former Whaling Days board member.

“My background in finance and law will help keep our district growing well, as will my proven abilities in analytical thinking, communication and negotiation,” Skifstad said. “As a grateful parent and as a taxpayer, I want to keep growing our Return On Investment in Kitsap kids, our most precious resource. I have loved parenting, tutoring and coaching. Servince on the school board lets me help the next generation of children experience the educational success my own kids have enjoyed.”

— Michelle Beahm is online editor for Kitsap News Group. She can be reached at mbeahm@soundpublishing.com.