Four candidates seeking positions on the Snoqualmie Valley School District Board fielded questions from the stage of the Mount Si Performing Arts Center on Oct. 3 as part of a candidate forum hosted by the SnoValley Chamber of Commerce.

The upcoming election follows a relatively challenging few years for the district. Not only did it face the COVID-19 pandemic — and its still lingering financial challenges — but also saw the sudden and public departure of former Superintendent Lance Gibbon.

This year marks somewhat of a leadership turnover for the school board. Three of the board’s five seats are up for election, and only one incumbent, Ram Dutt Vedullapalli, is seeking reelection. Tenured board members Geoff Doy and Carolyn Simpson have each decided not to seek another term.

Of the three seats up for election, only District 2, which represents part of North Bend, is competitive. Vedullapalli, the board’s current vice president, is running unopposed for his District 5 seat in Fall City. Newcomer Rene Price is also running unopposed in District 3, one three districts covering Snoqualmie.

Candidates on the school board run in districts determined by their residence, but are elected and serve the entire school district.

The only decision for voters this fall will be between candidates Linda Grez and Judith Milstein, who both have a long track record of volunteering and service with the district.

Grez told audience members she was running because of her passion for education and open, transparent government. She served for 12 years on the board of the Si View Metro Parks District, noting her experience in local government and policy making. Grez promised voters she would be outspoken and honest when tackling tough decisions.

She said her top priorities are connecting better with district families and improving transparency by making information more accessible to the community.

“We have a lot of enthusiastic parents in this district,” she said. “We need to engage that community better.”

She proposed the board create a narrative write-up following each of its meetings, so residents can understand what is happening. She also proposed a similar concept for the budget that breaks down the complex document so families “know where money is being spent.”

Other priorities, she said, were focusing on academic and mental health recovery of students, noting the importance of prioritizing mastery of subjects over test scores.

“There’s many different ways that students learn and we need to have that flexibility to meet those children’s needs,” she said.

Grez also took issue with the district’s replacement process for former Superintendent Gibbon. She called a survey the district sent out, asking for qualities the community would like to see in a new superintendent, “dissatisfying.”

“It was a survey of vague generalities about leadership,” she said. “It ended up with a lot of people feeling like it was a hollow preordained process.”

Milstein said she was highly invested in the district as a parent with two students enrolled at Mount Si and as a PTA and Empower Youth Network volunteer. Both of her children had a wonderful experience at SVSD schools, she said, and she wants to make sure all students have the same opportunities.

“My primary focus will be on student experience and student outcomes,” she said.

Milstein emphasized the importance of providing options for students, particularly at the high school level, to explore varying subjects, including CTE courses. It’s important that all students have a vision post-high school, she said, “maybe that’s college, maybe that’s trade school or some other kind of training.”

When asked about potential budget cuts, Milstein said she aims to keep cuts “as far away from the classroom as possible.” She said she was a proponent of the seven period day at Mount Si High School, and would oppose cuts to that program.

Milstein also said it is important for the district to be honest about its recent test score results as an element of recovery. She said she’d like to see at least 85% of students meeting state testing standards.

“That’s not where we are now,” she said.

Check it out

Ballots for the upcoming election will be mailed on Oct. 18. They must be returned to a dropbox or postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 7.

A full recording of the forum will be available on the SnoValley Chamber’s YouTube Channel.