Latest news with #NorthKitsap
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School board races narrowed in Bremerton, North Kitsap after primary
Ben Anderson, Shannon Turner and Debra Strawhun emerged as top vote-getters in local school board races following initial primary vote totals released by the Kitsap County Auditor's office Tuesday. Anderson, the incumbent for the Bremerton School Board No. 5 position, collected 2,225 votes (42.6%) and leads over Linda Osborn Simpson (1,645 votes, 31.5%)) and Mary Devery (1,355, 25.9%). Anderson was appointed to the board in February following the resignation of Carolynn Perkins. In the race for Bremerton's No. 4 position, featuring three would-be board newcomers, Turner leads with 2,084 votes (40.1%), followed by Jenny Farley (1,814 votes, 34.9%) and Chris Warthen (1,298 votes, 25%). Position 4 incumbent Alyson Rotter opted not to run for re-election. In North Kitsap, Strawhun and Thomas move on Three names of newcomers appeared on the ballot for the North Kitsap School Board District 1 position with incumbent Edward Wright not running for re-election. Strawhun collected 3,160 votes (40%) and leads Leighton Thomas (2,724 votes, 34.5%) and Seth Hartmann (2,010 votes, 25.5%). Hartmann actually dropped out of the school board race in July, citing personal reasons, but it was too late to remove his name from the primary ballot. In each director race, the two candidates who receive the most votes in next month's primary will advance to the general election in November. This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Bremerton and North Kitsap school board primary election results Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Election 2025: North Kitsap's primary school board race features 2 with teaching past
Three candidates — Seth Hartmann, Debra Strawhun and Leighton Thomas — are listed on the primary ballot for the North Kitsap School Board District 1 position heading into the Aug. 5 election. Edward Wright, currently the District 1 director, is not running for re-election. Strawhun is a career educator who has taught locally (Bainbridge Island, North Kitsap) and who works as a contractor for Bremerton School District. Thomas, a former teacher and Wyoming Department of Education executive, currently works as an education consultant. Hartmann, an U.S. Army veteran and information technology officer, has taught multiple years at the university level. However, on July 10 Hartmann contacted the Kitsap Sun to say that he is no longer actively campaigning for the school board director position due to personal circumstances. His name will still appear on the August ballot, as the time to withdraw has passed. In the District 1 race, the two candidates who receive the most votes in next month's primary will advance to the general election in November. In the District 3 race, which only has two candidates, both Timothy Rovik and Miranda Smallwood will both advance to the general election. The Kitsap Sun asked board candidates to submit answers to a three-part questionnaire ahead of the election. Hartmann's answers will not be publish, at his request. Debra Strawhun Q: What do you feel you would bring to the school board if elected? A: I would bring experience, dedication to the education of children, and a desire to engage with the community. I have years of experience in education as an employee and as a parent. I have held a variety of positions during my career in PK-12 education. Most of those years I have served as a speech and language pathologist but also as a classroom teacher, teacher on special assignment, early childhood coordinator, advisor for regulatory guidance and compliance in special education law, representative on the executive board and bargaining team in the Bremerton Education Association. As a parent, while my three boys were in school, I was the PTA president at Poulsbo Elementary, a member of the Facility Advisory Committee and co-chair of the citizens group that spearheaded efforts to pass the bond that built Kingston High School. Q: Is there a particular reason you are motivated to serve? A: Multiple factors have come together to make this the right time to serve on the school board. I would like to give back to the community that has been so important in the lives of my family. North Kitsap School District gave my children the educational foundation they needed to attend college and develop a career of their choice. I retired from the Bremerton School District in 2021. I am now self-employed and work part time in Bremerton filling unmet needs in special education. I have the time. I have a long-standing interest in how schools operate. Over time I've seen what works well for students, families, teachers and the community. I've seen the swings in educational approaches, curriculum, testing and use of facilities. Those experiences can inform decision making. My program administrator credential helped my understanding of budgets, finances and strategies for making difficult decisions. Q: Discuss one or two issues within your school district you'd like to see the board address over the next couple years. A: Three issues come to mind. 1. Facilities. A replacement of Pearson Elementary needs to be a priority because of the health and safety concerns that must be addressed. I would support a bond to address that need. Listening sessions with voters and consultation with the facilities advisory committee would be needed to determine the level of support in the community and other building needs that should be addressed by a bond. A bond could be a hard sell in light of the failure of the 2024 bond and with declining enrollment in the district. If not a bond, levy dollars? 2. Support for students with social, emotional and behavioral needs. That would look like a counselor/interventionist with a specialty in behavior management at each school. All staff trained in trauma-informed instruction so environments can be created and triggers recognized before outbursts occur. A social emotional learning (SEL) program implemented school-wide. These supports would benefit individual students as well the entire school environment. 3. Expansion of the district's career pathways program. An increase in the number of career and technical education (CTE) offerings, the facilities to support the growth as well as possible expansion to middle school would benefit students and their families. Leighton Thomas Q: What do you feel you would bring to the school board if elected? A: If elected, I will bring commitment, broad experience and expertise, and a spirit of curiosity to the North Kitsap School Board. I care deeply about kids and have spent my career — and my free time — working to support them, whether through teaching, coaching youth running groups, or serving on local boards. I began my career in human capital strategy, helping organizations design policies and systems to meet their current and future workforce needs. In 2009, I made a career-switch to public education and became a classroom teacher. Since then, I've served in roles across the education system, including state-level leadership. I understand the complexities of public schools from multiple perspectives — and I bring empathy because I've lived those challenges. I also bring academic expertise: I hold a doctorate in education policy and leadership and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction. I've spent years both working in and alongside schools and studying how to make them better. But just as important as my experience is my mindset: I approach this work with curiosity and a commitment to listening. I believe in asking hard questions, engaging the community, and making decisions grounded in what's best for all of our students. Q: Is there a particular reason you are motivated to serve? A: I am motivated to serve because I believe North Kitsap Schools should be every family's first choice when choosing where to send their children to school. I have young children and plan to be part of this community for the long term. When I ask, 'Where can I help?' — the answer is always kids and schools. When I learned my district seat was open, it felt like a call to action. I am motivated to strengthen trust between the community and our school board. I've heard a consistent message: people want more transparency and more opportunities to be heard. I'm a connector by nature. If elected, I'll hold monthly listening sessions and stay rooted in community conversations as we shape the future of our schools, together. Q: Discuss one or two issues within your school district you'd like to see the board address over the next couple years. A: Our district is facing declining enrollment, and not just due to housing costs or birth rates. We need to stay curious about why some families are choosing other districts or leaving public education altogether. This trend has major implications for our funding, staffing, and long-term planning. Every student who leaves takes resources with them —but every student we bring back brings funding, energy, and opportunity. We need to ask: Why are families leaving/choosing other districts? What do they need to stay? The answers should shape how we respond. That means listening closely to students and educators, and taking meaningful action — both within our existing structures and through creative new options. That might mean expanding CTE programs or offering flexible, part-time options for homeschoolers. We should be looking at models that work in other districts, and exploring how to make them work for us too. North Kitsap has incredible strengths: excellent educators, stable finances, and an invested community. We are small enough to be nimble and bold enough to lead with innovation. I want to help build a future where families are proud to choose North Kitsap — and excited to stay. This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: North Kitsap school board election features 2 teachers in primary Solve the daily Crossword
