Two Snoqualmie Valley School Board seats are up for election this November, and both seats were directly impacted by the 2011 redistricting of the Valley’s director districts.
After the 2010 census, when new population numbers were released, law required the Snoqualmie Valley School Board director districts be realigned due to population shifts. Most notably, Snoqualmie, having undergone a rapid population surge and only represented by one shared seat, needed more representation.
Although each school board member is charged with representing all district students and is elected by all Valley voters, the system is set up so that only those residing in specific districts can run for those seats, thus creating a board with representation from all areas of the geographically large Snoqualmie Valley School District.
In spring of 2011, the school district hired Sammamish Data to create the first redistricting plan. That plan was met with opposition from residents because it divided the dense population of Snoqualmie and put it into the current districts. The district and school board listened to the objections and created a new plan that stands today.
In that redistricting plan, the lines of the five districts were shifted, creating one pure Snoqualmie district, another mostly Snoqualmie district (with a small portion consisting of the Fall City/Lake Alice area), two North Bend districts and one Fall City district. Each district comprises about 7,000 residents.
The shift, however, put board members Marci Busby and Scott Hodgins, who once resided in different North Bend districts, in the same one. The law, though, allowed them to finish their current terms. Once those terms finish this year, the new Snoqualmie school board seat (district 1) is up for election, and if Hodgins and Busby wished to serve another term, they will have to run against each other in district 4.
Today, April 8, 2013, the first two candidate in director district 4, David Spring,. and Stephen Kangas, threw their hats into the ring. Scott Hodgins and Marci Busby, via email exchange on March 27, 2013, said they are both still undecided about running again.
According to Spring’s website, the 20-year North Bend resident and former state legislature candidate says he’s running for school board “in order to reopen Snoqualmie Middle School, reduce class sizes and increase graduation rates.”
Kangas, a 17-year Valley resident calls himself “long‐time advocate of reforms in the Snoqualmie Valley School District.” In a press release, Kangas states he wants to see the district rise in the national ranks, stating although SVSD is top-10 statewide, it’s only ranks middle of the pack nationally.
No candidates from district 1 have yet announced intent to run for the newly created seat. District 1 encompasses historic Snoqualmie and part of Snoqualmie Ridge.
For the school board director district map boundaries visit the SVSD website or call Jeff Hogan in the District Office (425-831-8004) with your specific address.
Candidates living in director districts 1 (new Snoqualmie district) and 4 (realigned North Bend district) can file for the upcoming school board election May 13-17, 2013. Visit the King County Elections website for more information. Candidates can file online, in person, or by mail. (Mail filing period opens April 29th)
The two Snoqualmie Valley School Board seats up for November election are 4-year terms, running from January 2014 – December 31, 2017.
