Superintendent Tom Venable swears in Boo Schneider as interm school board director to replace Gary Marchbank.

MV School Board unanimously selected Boo Schneider to serve as interim director to replace Gary Marchbank, who resigned from his position effective December 31. Schneider was selected from five finalists in an interview during Thursday’s school board meeting.

Boo Schneider is the wife of George Schneider, a jazz musician who also puts together a listing of music and dances in the valley on his website, methowmusicmonthly.com.

The other candidates were physician Allison Fitzgerald, nurse and Methow Valley Youth Soccer Board President Brent Swartz, real estate managing broker Ina Clark and Public School Funding Alliance President and local 4H Director Hilary Kaltenbach.

Each candidate sat in a “hot seat” in the middle of a semi-circle of board members in the library of Methow Valley Elementary. Each candidate had 15 minutes to answer questions about their educational background and professional experience; their thoughts about serving on the board individually and collaboratively; MVSD’s vision and challenges; and anything else they wanted the board to know.

Schneider was second to speak after board chair Dana Stromberger randomly drew names. Each candidate was given questions as they arrived to the library and was called from a different room when it was time to interview.

Schneider said she has a background in public education “from the time I was 5.” She started teaching in the late 70s and was involved in her labor union. Schneider noted that her father was a school board member when she was in junior high.

She became teary when she recounted her role in the labor union working with administrators.

“During all of that time working with the administration, that I really appreciated that the whole scene is about the kids. It’s all about how do we support the kids,” said Schneider.

Schneider noted her skills for deep listening and respect for students, parents and the job.

“I don’t know why an at-large position would really be very different from one from an area in the community because I feel like we’re one school district. We’re one community,” said Schneider. “I don’t think you act as an individual on the school board.”

Schneider said she was impressed with multigenerational support such as attendance during school functions and at graduation. She said current challenges include “skillfull discussions, modeling, listening for understanding, empathetic listening, and really valuing everybody’s input and recognizing that discussion are not easy, but they can be had respectfully.”

Schneider teared up again when she said, “The bottom line always comes back to the kids. They need to be able to come to their school and feel safe and feel that they aren’t judged and I think that’s our challenge.”

“I just feel like the school is the one place, the first place that children really get to start to realize their worth and I love that about school, always, and to recognize that the teachers who set this tone and it creates a safe place for kids who, whatever their abilities, whenever they walk in that door, they are welcomed and belong there, and the family behind those kids are just as important and as tender to deal with.”

Clark, who has lived in the valley for 20 years, distinguished herself from other candidates by noting her working class background. She said at one point, she held four jobs while her husband worked in trades. She noted her experience as a parent of two students who went through MVSD, an Outward Bound instructor, and an assistant in early childhood education. She also spoke about the importance of listening.

“The only way we can grow as a community is through listening,” she said.

Kaltenbach cited her experience on several boards during the last seven years that has brought her in contact with a wide variety of people. She served on the boards of Methow Valley Nordic, Public School Funding Alliance, Shafer Museum, and currently serves as local director of the 4H Club and an instructor for seniors’ personal essay.

Kaltenbach said she would evaluate data and feedback, including MVSD’s high school to post-secondary project, which interviews alums to assess the quality of their education at LBHS. She noted hiring a new superintendent and maintaining quality programs with limited resources as challenges, which she said are “thinly veiled opportunit[ies]” for the school.

“I see education as my calling,” said Kaltenbach. “When I see something that needs to be done, I usually step up and do it.”

Swartz noted his experience growing up in a rural area in Colorado far from his school and the importance he places on a school community.

“My kids are growing up and as they get older, then we’re kind of handing them off into the world, and we’re kind of handing them into the arms of their teachers and we’re handing them into the arms of their friends. I feel the best thing I can do for my kids is just to have this school and this environment be the rich and wonderful place that it could be.”

Swartz spoke about his experiences at Okanogan Child Development Association, serving as President of Methow Valley Youth Soccer Board, his work as a clinic manager at a community health clinic, and being a father to two children in elementary school. He said he would bring a “quiet and considered presence to the board” as he grows in his role.

Fitzgerald, the oldest of seven, grew up in a small town in Connecticut where she was valedictorian. Her mother was a teacher, her father taught vocational classes, and her four sisters are teachers. She spoke about her experiences working as a doctor in a community health clinic, which brought her to the Methow. She is fluent in Spanish.

Fitzgerald said test scores are not useful in assessing students and preferred qualitative data.

“Everyone’s intentions are good. no one joins the school board to make things bad for kids,” she said.

The school board went to another room to discuss the candidates. After about 30 minutes, they came back with their decision. Following a roll call vote, Superintendent Tom Venable swore Schneider into office. This seat, and Stromberger’s seat are up for re-election this fall.

I am the founder and editor of Methow Valley Examiner, an online publication for locals, by locals. MVE explores stories beyond the headlines.

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