POULSBO — The three candidates for North Kitsap School Board District 4 outlined why they want to be on the school board, and what they would do, at a League of Women Voters candidate forum July 21 in Poulsbo City Hall.
This is the only position on the ballot in north Kitsap County that yielded enough candidates to warrant a primary on Aug. 4. The two top vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 3 general election. School board members are elected to four-year terms and, in the North Kitsap School District, are not paid.
Each candidate was given a minute to answer audience-submitted questions. The forum was recorded for broadcast on Bremerton Kitsap Access Television (channel 12 in Poulsbo) 10 a.m. July 24 and noon on July 27. Voters can also visit vote411.org to see other questions the League asked each candidate and how they answered.
LORETTA BYRNES
Byrnes moved to North Kitsap in 2010, and has a background in program analysis.
“My whole career has been about trying to make the world a better place,” Byrnes said in her opening statement.
She added that one of her biggest concerns is making the education system better.
Byrnes said she’s been attending school board meetings since September 2014, and is concerned about the lack of detail, clarity and measurable objectives with the board.
“I feel passionate about getting the school district to improve communication in the community,” Byrnes said in closing. “We need to get more input from the teachers and form the parents about what the challenges are. I just want to help improve that communication.”
Q: What do you believe is the primary job of the school board members?
A: The job of the school board is to provide perspective and to look at things from the higher level. I think what I’ve seen in the school board over the last nine months (is) a lot of information comes in. By the next school board (meeting), it’s like it’s been completely forgotten. There needs to be a plan … I think we need to provide perspective and direction.
Q: How would you improve communications between the school board and the community?
A: I think the school district, there are certain issues that they should be aware that they need to communicate on. The school district should actually organize a meeting (and) invite community members, with a planned presentation but invite questions and comments.
Q: What are the best ways to assess whether teachers are doing an effective job?
A: I had also looked at this teacher performance evaluation thing. The thing they have really looks awful. Rigor is not the word, it’s bureaucratic nightmare. I think the teachers and principals know what an effective teacher is: somebody who engages students, understands them, etc. We’ve all had teachers (like that). I think they need a more appropriate evaluation system that should be implemented.
Q: Washington voters spoke clearly about wanting smaller class sizes. Would you play a role in ensuring lower class sizes? Should the district report class sizes to the board monthly at meetings?
A: During the last nine months, I think class size data was presented at school board meetings once, and it wasn’t very well presented data. I think that data should be presented, probably not monthly because hopefully it won’t change that dramatically, but definitely … throughout the year.
SCOTT HENDEN
Henden has lived in North Kitsap for 50 years, and has owned and operated a small business in the area for 30 years.
He said in his opening statement that he’s running for reelection because the district needs him.
“We talk about being college and career ready,” Henden said, “and often I am the only one who was really career-oriented. Many (students) don’t go (the college) way. There’s a whole group in that segment of kids going through school … they’re just kids going through. I want to represent all, but not forget those, too.”
In closing, Henden said, “It is your district. I think as administrators and teachers and all these others involved, I think we sometimes forget that. This is your district.”
Q: What do you believe is the primary job of the school board members?
A: The primary job is to give the district direction. We’re called directors, but sometimes we just start approving the programs. Overall, the job of the director is to support the staff, to give direction in a broad way, but there are times when we need to get in the mix.
Q: How would you improve communications between the school board and the community?
A: The reality is, we will have a meeting, we’ll announce it, it will be on the website and in the newspaper, but … 10 people will show up.Whether people show up or not, though, we have a responsibility to provide information that is accurate and prompt.
Q: What are the best ways to assess whether teachers are doing an effective job?
A: I’ve had some great personal experience with some teachers going beyond the job … there’s some awesome teachers out there. I think grades should be a portion of what they do. Having grades as a piece of it. You think about what a great teacher will do in their lifetime …. At the same time, if you have a group of people, any group, there’s going to be some who, for whatever reason, aren’t working out.
Q: Washington voters spoke clearly about wanting smaller class sizes. Would you play a role in ensuring lower class sizes? Should the district report class sizes to the board monthly at meetings?
A: Thank the voters for $18 million (in tax levy funds). The class sizes are smaller. They are down. Part of the difficulty is, what do you do if you have 28 third-graders? You can’t have a class of 14. (A solution could be) split classes, split ages. We’re working on that. It’s not just all that easy. I would like to see us do a better job of doing it as a whole, instead of piecemeal. Do I want smaller classes? Yes. The reality is, we have to make some of the choices the best we can.
GLEN ROBBINS
Robbins has lived in North Kitsap for 60 years and graduated from North Kitsap High School. He’s been an educator in various positions for 39 years in the Bainbridge and North Kitsap school districts.
“I am dedicated to our children, their families, our schools and their employees who work hard daily meeting the needs of our kids,” Robbins said. “As a school board director, I will be an effective listener and advocate for all to have a voice.”
In closing, Robbins said, “I am dedicated to our schools, the students and their families, and supporting our educational employees. I look forward to the opportunity of serving as a school board member in our district.”
Q: What do you believe is the primary job of the school board members?
A: The role of the school board is to set strong policy … adopt procedures and listen to our community stakeholders (families, business leaders, etc.). The role then is to set strong policies for the benefit of our children.
Q: How would you improve communications between the school board and the community?
A: One of the things that I would encourage us to look at is what I call “educational future forums.” That could be done quarterly throughout the year. Making sure that we send out the information in a timely fashion, improving our web presence. It is important. If we go out and reach out and invite people in, pull people in … I think that’s a great way to bring people on board.
Q: What are the best ways to assess whether teachers are doing an effective job?
A: The teacher-principal evaluation model that has just been adopted is pretty rigorous and time-consuming for the teacher and the principal. I would have groups I would pull together, and we’d work together to design what is it as a team we want to do and move forward so we supported each other. Evaluation is a part of it, but I want it to be formative, not summative, (to) work together to design what … would be best for them.
Q: Washington voters spoke clearly about wanting smaller class sizes. Would you play a role in ensuring lower class sizes? Should the district report class sizes to the board monthly at meetings?
A: I’d like to know what class sizes are, as a board member. As a principal, I kept track of that on a monthly basis. When new students arrived … I tried my very best to maintain a common class size throughout the building. Smallest possible school size and class size … required flexible boundaries. There’s some very large schools and some that are small (in this district).
