Monroe district dealing with loss of 10-year board member
Published 1:30 am Monday, December 26, 2016
MONROE — For now, a chair is empty on the Monroe School Board.
It’s with heavy hearts colleagues of Jim Scott are going about the task of finding his replacement.
Scott died unexpectedly Nov. 19. He was 67.
A memorial service at Monroe High School on Dec. 18 drew more than 200 people.
Scott served on the board for more than a decade. His interest in education extended well beyond his stint as a board member. Long ago, he’d volunteered at Maltby Elementary School in the classroom and after school when his son, Zach, attended the campus.
The board vacancy is in the south end of the district. Anyone interested in learning more about the position and determining whether they live within the geographic boundaries can find more details on the district’s website at monroe.wednet.edu. Applications can be submitted to Superintendent Fredrika Smith.
Former school board member Tom MacIntyre said Smith’s death is difficult for the community.
“It was sudden and sad and a loss for the Monroe School District,” he said.
He fondly remembers his colleague on and off the board. MacIntyre said Scott was an advocate for the district’s alternative programs, including the Leaders In Learning high school and Sky Valley Education Center, which has been a popular resource among home-school families.
“Jim was generous with his time and he was very bright,” MacIntyre said. “He had a memory for details. He would just volunteer for everything.”
MacIntyre also chuckled at the memory of how earnest Scott was in his convictions.
“If you disagreed with him, he just thought you didn’t understand his position,” he said. “He would walk with you out to the car, clarifying his position. He loved the school board.”
Scott’s family has asked that any donations be made to the Monroe Public Schools Foundation at www.Monroepsf.org, noting “Jim Scott Memorial” in the special instructions field. Checks also can be sent to the Monroe Public Schools Foundation, 200 E. Fremont St., Monroe, WA 98272, Attn: Sue Skillen.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.
