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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Tim Eyman loses this time around, but is unlikely to go away 11/5/09 • GOP beats only rural Eastern Washington Democrat legislator 11/5/09 • McGinn’s lead shrinks in Seattle mayor race 11/5/09 • Three County Council incumbents retain lead 11/5/09 • Library tax holds slim approval 11/5/09 • Marysville council candidate arrested after hit-and-run 11/5/09 » More ELECTIONRESULTS2009 stories >   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 Two newcomers appear likely to join Everett School Board By Eric Stevick Herald Writer EVERETT — Voters appear to be calling for a change on the Everett School Board. Incumbent Karen Madsen trails Jessica Olson in the contest for Position 4 while Everett pastor Jeff Russell has a narrow lead over Pam LeSesne in a race for an open seat. Olson criticized the school board and the district on several fronts during the campaign, saying they took too many actions “behind a cloak of secrecy.” Over the past two years, Everett School District leaders secretly videotaped a teacher in her classroom, racking up more than $200,000 in attorney fees related to legal battles over student newspapers, and hired a new superintendent without giving the community a chance to comment on the finalists. Madsen has been on the school board for 12 years and has led school levy and bond campaigns every election since 1996. Everett is an unusual district in that board members serve 6-year terms. Most school districts, and city councils, have four-year terms. Everett also has at-large positions, meaning candidates can live in any part of the district. Everett is one of the state's largest districts, with 26 schools, more than 18,000 students and a $188 million annual operations budget. The position pays $50 a meeting up to $4,800 a year. Position 4 Olson had a 705-vote lead after Tuesday's count. The margin was 6,935 to 6,230 with more than 52 percent favoring Olson. Olson said the outcome could easily change with thousands of ballots to be counted. “These things can turn,” Olson said Tuesday night. Olson said there really “isn't much gray area” between the candidates. Madsen could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. Olson said district leaders were wrong to approve the use of a secret camera, which was placed in the ceiling of former Cascade High School teacher Kay Powers' classroom during an investigation of whether she was helping students publish an underground newspaper. Powers was fired after the district concluded she disobeyed former Superintendent Carol Whitehead's orders when she let students produce the paper using district resources on district time. Powers was later reinstated — with back pay — after a settlement. Olson has a lawsuit pending against the district over access to documents she believes she is entitled to. She said she was unable to obtain all of her son's educational records under special-education laws, and she had to turn to the state open public records act. Madsen, an educational consultant who taught high school science for 10 years, said during the campaign that the district has made great strides in increasing the number of students taking challenging courses, raising graduation rates, remodeling aging facilities and building new ones where needed, upgrading computer technology for students and staff and aligning curriculum with state standards. Position 3 Jeff Russell, an Everett pastor, was leading retired Navy captain Pam LeSesne Tuesday night by about 400 votes. Tuesday night's count was 6,836 to 6,437 with Russell capturing 51.2 percent. Both candidates agreed the race is too close to call. The winner will replace Sue Cooper, who decided not to run for another term. Cooper's 25 years on the board is the longest tenure in the 118-year history of the district. “I'm grateful for the voters to recognize two really solid candidates and see it as a difficult one to decide,” Russell said. “I think Pam has a really compelling biography of leadership. I've shared with her that I think we are very similar, particularly in our commitment to those students seeking success in the vocational trades.” LeSesne said she was pleased she made up ground between the August primary and the general election. She said she believes she has a chance to come from behind. “I'm just looking forward to seeing what the final tally will be,” she said. “He was a very good opponent. It is very hard to run against someone who shares some of the same things you are for.” Russell has served on the Everett Public Schools Foundation and the district's Career Technical Education Advisory Committee and has been an assistant football coach at Evergreen Middle School where his wife is a teacher. LeSesne has volunteered in classrooms and to secure low-income housing for local residents. Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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