Vashon school board members eye applicants for open seat

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Winning an election isn’t the only way to join Vashon’s school board.

Following a process announced after the resignation of Vashon Island School District (VISD) board member Bob Hennessey on Sept. 9, four applicants for Hennessey’s now-open seat attended a school board meeting on Thursday, Oct. 14.

The applicants, Mike Barmonde, Richard Hazzard, Kali Aguilera and Steve Ellison, each gave a brief speech, detailing their qualifications. Two other applicants, Terra Schaller and Joseph Leyseth, withdrew their names from consideration prior to the meeting.

After hearing from the applicants, the board met in executive session, returning to announce their decision to narrow the field to Aguilera and Hazzard.

Board Chair Zabette Macomber thanked Barmonde, a district parent with a career in technology, and Ellison, who has previously served on the board, urging them to stay involved in the district in other ways.

The winnowing of candidates was part of a multi-step process that began with an open call from the district for applicants to serve out Hennessey’s term, which will expire in November of 2023. The board’s final decision as to who they will appoint to the seat will take place at the next board meeting, on Oct. 28.

At that time, both Hazzard and Aguilera will be interviewed in an open session. The board will then meet and discuss the matter in a closed executive session. After returning to public session, the board will take action to formally invite one of the two applicants to join the board.

At the start of last week’s meeting, two former teachers in the district made public comments that urged the board to select an applicant whose life and experiences were aligned with VISD’s stated goals of racial equity and inclusion.

“Exercise your leadership by choosing a candidate whose lived experiences will contribute to the lasting change all Vashon students deserve,” said Mike Zecher.

“I believe Kali Aguliera has unique qualities and experiences that would enrich our schools,” said Anne Van Holde. “We need her voice for these reasons.”

Another attendee, Tania Kinnear, endorsed Aguilera as well, saying her reasons for doing so had been well expressed by Van Holde and Zecher.

Aguilera’s selection would also add Latino representation to the Vashon school board.

In 2020, Latino students comprised roughly 13% of the student body in Vashon schools. However, graduation rates have lagged for these students. In 2019, Latino students on Vashon had a graduation rate of 70% — lower than the statewide average of 75.7% of Latino students. White students on Vashon, the same year, had a graduation rate of 93.9%.

In contrast, on Bainbridge Island — a community with some similarity to Vashon — 86.4% of Latino students graduated in 2019, a rate that topped the percentage of white students graduating statewide, which was 82.9%.

Prior to the board meeting, both Aguilera and Hazzard responded to a list of questions from The Beachcomber, describing their qualifications. Their responses are detailed below.

Kali Aguilera

Aguilera, the mother of a two-and-a-half-year-old child, grew up on Vashon and attended all three of its public schools, before attending Lewis & Clark University to study anthropology and sociology.

She said that that she had had the privilege of being part of many different communities, not only on Vashon but in multiple countries, cultures and languages. Her relevant experience, she said, includes work in community health clinics and educational youth programs, in roles that included budgeting, finance management, and developing evaluation systems for organizations.

“I have worked with people of all ages, income levels, races, and cultures right here on the island, in Puget Sound, and throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean,” she said.

Aguilera is a fluent Spanish speaker, a Mexican-American, is married to an Afro-Latino Dominican, and is the mother of a multicultural, multiracial child.

“These lived experiences have given me much knowledge in understanding multiple perspectives, building cross-cultural relationships, navigating social and institutional systems, and ultimately bringing people together,” she said.

Richard Hazzard

Hazzard moved to Vashon in 1997, when he was hired by VISD to start its FamilyLink program. The next year, he launched the district’s StudentLink program. He lived on Vashon until 2017, where he raised two children who graduated from Vashon High School.

He has recently moved back to Vashon and is eager to serve the community.

“I have committed my remaining work-life to creative contributions in K-12 public education,” he said. “I view my ability to serve on the Vashon school board as a great way to support our community and make a positive, lasting impact on our schools and for our students.”

Hazzard said his priorities as a board member would include developing and supporting a strategic plan that places emphasis on social and emotional wellness for our students, staff and families; the continuous improvement of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in the district and community culture; and designing learning pathways, curricula and experiences to ensure students can thrive in a world of uncertainty and fast-paced change.

Hazzard earned a Washington State teaching certificate and a master’s of arts in education from Antioch University – Seattle. His experience in both business and education includes strategic planning, solution design, and organizational development work.

Allison Krutsinger wants islanders’ votes

Two additional school board seats, other than the one to be occupied by either Hazzard or Aguilera, also need to be filled.

Ballots for the Nov. 2 election show three candidates for Director Positions 2 and 4.

Only one of the races, however, has a candidate who wants to serve — Allison Krutsinger, who is running for Position 4.

Her opponent, Kristen Cohen, earlier announced her decision to withdraw from the race, though her name still appears on the ballot. Likewise, the only candidate on the ballot for Position 2, Renee Henson, has also now withdrawn from the race.

Krutsinger, who has a notable career in education, advocacy and public service, is eager to serve (see Letters, page 6).