POULSBO — Beth Worthington isn’t afraid to try something new. In her 40s, Worthington began competing in triathlons. She can also be found working out at Kitsap Crossfit, which she has done for about two years. The secret is to just put on your shoes and go, she said.

Worthington just added one more activity to her list: being a director of the North Kitsap School Board.

Worthington defeated Doug Prichard for the District 3 position Nov. 5. As of 8:15 p.m. Election Day, Worthington had 4,229 votes to Prichard’s 2,707. She will succeed Kenneth Ames, who lost in the primary.

Since the primary election, Worthington has gone out almost every Saturday to listen to the community, she said. It’s helped her realize the importance of the position.

Like her opponent, Worthington believes the biggest issue she will face is getting a levy passed once the current four-year levy expires. The majority of decision making will most likely be made before she begins working in January, but she will still need to help the district advocate the levy to the public. Worthington will also do what she can to help the district engage more with the community, she said. She wants to begin collecting data on program efficiency to find out what is working and what needs to be improved.

Though she’s studied the issues and district data, she will need to continue to learn. Like preparing for a triathlon, Worthington will just need to keep at it, she said.

Worthington is a senior systems engineer for FGS-LLC, a Navy contractor. She has lived in Suquamish for 19 years and has one child in the school district; another child graduated from the district and is attending college.

Her work in education has included examiner, judge and board member for the Washington State Quality Award, and serving on the school district’s budget committee for 2013-14.

Board directors serve four-year terms and are not paid. Directors are elected through districtwide elections but must live in the districts they represent. Board responsibilities include: establish general policy, adopt and revise the annual operating budget, select and evaluate the superintendent, employ school personnel with recommendation by the superintendent, exercise the power to administer schools conferred by the Legislature, and keep the public informed on the needs and progress of the education system.

Meanwhile, Prichard — a vice president of Bentall Kennedy, a real estate investment advisory and services company — said he still has a child in the school district and may run again.