King County Elections has mailed the ballots and the Aug. 1 primary is on the table for voters on Mercer Island and beyond.
Locally, the primary involves school board director position No. 5 candidates Jody Lee, Todd White and David Figatner, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election on Nov. 7.
School board directors hold four-year terms and their responsibilities include planning, setting and monitoring goals, employing and evaluating the superintendent, adopting an annual operating budget, approving the instructional program and more.
Lee believes in Mercer Island schools and is deeply committed to serving Island children and helping them thrive, according to her statements to the Reporter and King County Elections.
“I want to strengthen academics, protect students’ mental health, enrich the extracurricular programs that are part of a complete education, and support our teachers,” said Lee, who has volunteered for copious years in the classroom, on school/district committees and more.
Additionally, she is a board member on the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Foundation and with the Mercer Island Schools Band Boosters while helping fundraise for mental health services and the school’s stellar music programs.
White feels that Mercer Island possesses one of the top school districts in the state and would be honored to serve in the district that is focused on academic excellence and financial sustainability, he said in his King County Elections statement.
The father of two children attending local elementary schools told the Reporter in a previous article: “I want to be part of the team that brings effective solutions to important issues surrounding our children’s emotional well-being, declining student enrollment and financial sustainability. I feel a strong sense of duty to serve this community that has brought so much to me and my family.”
He will bring leadership skills from working in small, medium and large corporations to the school district realm, reads his statement.
Figatner feels that collaboration informed by analytics and data can point the way toward better solutions.
“Mercer Island has strong schools. I believe that we can make our schools even better. We are currently facing dropping enrollment and financial pressures, and it is during challenging times that we need thoughtful and analytical voices on the school board,” said Figatner, who has robust experience as a managing lawyer and founder and software developer.
He brings a commitment to strive for excellence into the school sphere to help provide students with the best education — including reaching for success in the technology realm — and support their emotional well-being.
In a questionnaire created by a pair of community residents featuring questions provided by Mercer Island special education parents and sent to the Reporter, the three candidates stated their positions on inclusion and inclusive classroom environments:
Lee: “Inclusion enriches the educational experience for all students. It helps students with special needs (whether visible or invisible) to feel supported and welcome, and in fact supports the academic success of all students. Teachers can design their syllabi, options in reading and homework assignments, and discussion expectations in a way that allows all students to connect with and learn from the class.”
White: “I strongly believe that inclusion must be a priority for our school district and that an inclusive learning environment benefits all of our learners when our classrooms are properly resourced and our teachers are adequately supported in inclusive teaching practices.”
Fignater: “Inclusion and inclusive classrooms, when properly implemented, have been shown scientifically to improve the educational outcome of all students. I am supportive of (continuing) our efforts to broaden our classrooms while supporting the needs of all our children.”
The initial round of results will be posted by 8:15 p.m. on Aug. 1, and the election will be certified at midnight on Aug. 15.
Voters can return their ballots at one of 76 county 24-hour drop boxes, including one at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center (8236 SE 24th St.) by 8 p.m. on election night, or mail the documents by Aug. 1. For more details, visit https://tinyurl.com/mryd3ywm
