Disclosure: Writer is a member of RenewED: Advocates for Student Excellence.
Mike Liu, who ran for a school board seat in 2023, presented his candidacy last night for Gary Marchbank’s seat on the school board. Marchbank announced his resignation at the last school board meeting effective Dec. 31.
Marchbank can withdraw his resignation up to its effective date.
Liu spoke during the public comment period, which occurs at the beginning of the school board meeting.
“My interest in the students and desire to help look for ways to improve the academics at school, reduce bullying, ensure fairness in women’s sports, and make sure parents have a strong voice as the primary stakeholder of their children’s education are all issues I ran on as a candidate in the last school board election,” said Liu in his presentation.
“During the campaign, a lot of issues were raised about both religion and politics, both of which, I believe, as a school board director goes, it’s really a nonpartisan, secular position and so, why those are big issues, I’m not sure, but certainly my preference would be to focus on the school and education and how to improve the experience for students.”
Don Nightengale presented 138 signed petitions, organized by RenewED, a local education advocacy group, to the school board for consideration in their appointment. The petition requested someone who was willing to hear other viewpoints, improve academics, recognize that parents are the primary stakeholders in the lives of their children, and protect girls from sport competition with biological boys.
RenewED has not officially endorsed Liu.
“Our organization does not want to be confrontational or disruptive, but we would like to have these considered in the nomination for the new board member,” said Nightengale.
Two community members expressed their concerns, reported in the Methow Valley News, about harassing phone calls to the school district about transgendered individuals.
In his regular address to the school board, Superintendent Tom Venable recommended opening applications for the pending vacancy via its website on Dec. 11, with an application deadline of Jan. 8. That gives the school district three weeks to assemble an application packet.
Venable advised the school district to meet in executive session at its regular meeting on Jan. 16 to review each candidate’s application. He proposed a second meeting on Jan. 30 with Michelle Price, Superintendent of North Central Educational Service District (NCESD), to assist with interviews to make sure there is due process. Interviews will be conducted in public. The MVSD board would then recess into executive session to deliberate on the candidates. Venable said it is common for the board to select a candidate following this executive session.
Three of the four remaining school board directors must agree on a candidate for them to be selected to the school board.
The appointed school board director will serve until the next regularly scheduled school board election, which in this case will be in November 2025. Since this election comes at the end of Marchbank’s 4-year term, the candidate that is elected will serve a full four years before another election.
Venable advised, and the four school board members present last night agreed, to fill the position within 30 days from the effective date of the vacancy so there could be a full board participating in the search for a superintendent. Venable announced on Nov. 1 his decision to retire at the end of this school year after 32 years in public education.
If the local school board does not fill the position within 90 days of the effective date of the vacancy, the NCESD board members will fill the vacancy. NCESD board members are elected by local school boards in their district. The NCESD has seven board members and a superintendent, Price.
Applicants for the vacancy must be U.S. citizens and reside in the district of the school board vacancy, but because Marchbank’s seat is an at-large position, anyone who is a qualified voter-resident within the school district can apply.
I would like to see diversity in the school board,