Jennifer McLellan, a Mercer Island resident of 11 years, has formally announced she will run for election to the Mercer Island School District Board of Directors this fall.

McLellan and Aleta Finnila were the first candidates to apply to fill the position left open by Lisa Strauch Eggers. On the first round, the vote was split 2 – 2 between the two. The board then extended the application deadline.

McLellan and her husband Malcolm have four children who attend MISD schools. McLellan, a teacher, taught high school physics and biology, as well as junior high biology, Earth science and social studeies. She has taught in the Lake Washington, Spokane and Mead school districts.

With her bid for election to the board, McLellan would like to address four areas in the school district – sustaining school funding, overcrowded classrooms, support for MISD administration and advancing the district’s 2020 Vision

“We are trying to both thrive and survive,” she said in a press release.  She added that she  hopes to provide strong and collaborative leadership for Mercer Island schools as the district works through the challenges of our state’s budget crisis.

Concerning school funding she said she “hopes to build on this successful campaign finding new and creative way to provide other sustained, permanent funding streams while also keeping the pressure on the state for committed and consistent funding of our children’s education.”

McLellan said because each building has crowded classrooms, finding a way to make space that works to provide effective teaching space is of high importance.

Over the last 10 years, McLellan has been an active volunteer, working with a variety of groups on Mercer Island. She has been very involved in the Mercer Island PTA and currently is the president. She has also helped with the Bridge the Gap fundraising campaign.

A member of the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, McLellan is also the president-elect of the National Charity League and co-chair of the MI Beach Club swim team.