By The Herald Editorial Board
Serving on a school board can be a demanding task. That’s especially so for those serving or seeking election to help guide the Marysville School District, beset by a succession of failed operating levies and construction bonds, enrollment losses, financial management deficiencies and state oversight as well as the resignation of three school board members in the last two years.
Yet, the outlook is improving for the district, which serves about 9,000 students.
A state audit report in May, focused on the financial status of the district during the 2023-24 school year, retained the state’s oversight, but did not include a finding of “going concern,” meaning doubts had lifted about the district’s future financial stability.
And the board and district office have moved ahead with plans to operate within current revenue, making difficult choices to close and reorganize schools, including the closure of an elementary and middle school and the reconfiguration of sixth-graders into elementary campuses and two middle schools for seventh- and eighth-graders. As well, following the resignation of an interim superintendent, the district appointed an interim superintendent in March, Dr. Deborah Rumbaugh, who previously served that position for the Stanwood-Camano School District.
District voters will determine members for three of the five districts for the board.
District 1
Malory Simpson was appointed to the board in June, following the resignation of a board member. She is challenged by Ray Sheldon Jr., who along with Simpson applied for the vacancy. The election is for a full four-year term.
Both Simpson and Sheldon are members of the Tulalip Tribes. And each, in an interview with the board, expressed respect for the other.
Simpson, whose traditional Indian name is gʷiyatal, is the director of the Tulalip Children’s Advocacy Center & Legacy of Healing program and formerly an events manger, training coordinator with the tribes’ TANF program and a school advocate with the tribal education department.
A Marysville-Pilchuck High School graduate in 2000, Simpson has leadership certification through Edmonds College and a bachelor’s degree in community advocacy and responsive education from the Northwest Indian College.
Sheldon — at 68 and also a product of Marysville schools, starting his education at the now-closed Liberty Elementary — has been in regular attendance at school board meetings and an advocate for youths from the tribes and the larger community. The Herald previously endorsed his candidacy during his run in 2021.
Simpson admits that her few months so far on the board have been devoted to coming up to speed on previous board actions and the district’s issues and concerns. She said she believes the district is on the right path and believes the board and district officials are working well together.
Sheldon said the last five years or so have been difficult for the district and have meant a loss of trust among the community, parents and others, yet he also believes the district has taken steps to free itself from supervision of the state superintendent’s office and regain public trust. What’s missing most, he said, is the participation of the larger community in helping the district succeed.
Simpson said she understood the frustrations of some parents with the school closures and the middle school reconfiguration, but thinks the move to K-6 elementaries and 7-8 middle schools could provide benefits to students. While Simpson wasn’t in on discussions for many of these decisions, she said she hoped to help provide more transparency and communication with parents and others to build buy-in of future decisions.
Simpson’s and Sheldon’s shared commitment to the community, school district and its students and families are clear. Simpson, however, can draw from her education-related training and experience to contribute to board discussions and reach out to the community. Her prior vetting and support in her selection from fellow board members also should secure the confidence of district voters.
Both deserve appreciation. Simpson deserves voters’ support.
District 3
Incumbent school board member Mark Tomas, appointed in November of 2024, is running for election to a two-year unexpired term and is challenged by Barbara Alford. Alford, after initial contact, did not respond to requests from the editorial board for an interview.
A retired software engineer, attorney and business and engineering manager, Tomas has lived in the Marysville area for 31 years. His wife is a former Marysville educator of 24 years. And they have two grown daughters who attended Marysville schools.
Tomas, well aware of the district’s difficulties, said he applied for the vacancy last year to offer his help, drawing on his legal and business background to advise the board, including past work on drafting and scrutinizing budgets and making decisions about workforce reductions and program cuts.
While board members don’t manage day-to-day financial decisions, he said, his experience can serve the board’s understanding of financial matters so it can provide necessary guidance.
The decision to close two schools and reorganize grades involved a balance of financial needs and emotional considerations he said, but he said the district found a solution that meets student needs and the district’s financial abilities. At the same time, the district has left enough flexibility at individual schools to allow for a look at improvements that can work elsewhere in the district.
Tomas said he is encouraged by changes the district has made so far regarding its financial stability and believes the board is working well together, even when there isn’t unanimous agreement on an issue. He’s been outvoted at times, he said, but the board overall is focused on the needs of students and the district.
A test of the community’s support could come for the district in 2026 or 2027 when the district again seeks voter approval of a maintenance and operations levy. Success there, he said, will inform a district decision on returning to the voters for a bond for necessary school improvements and construction.
Academically, Tomas said he believes the district’s high schools are performing well. He does see a need to concentrate more assistance for English language learners and tribal students to improve their educational outcomes.
Tomas, noting his appreciation for the education the district provided his adult daughters, and a background that can assist the board and the community in its understanding of financial issues, should be returned to the board to finish the term.
District 4
Incumbent school board member Craig Hereth, appointed in August 2024 following a board resignation, is running for election to a full four-year term, and is challenged by Ricky McCaig. Both were interviewed jointly by the editorial board.
McCaig is a retired U.S. Navy chief petty officer with 20 years’ experience, overseeing human resources regarding equal opportunity and substance abuse prevention programs and recruiting. He has an associate’s degree. He is employed as a real estate broker and volunteers with the Marysville Food Bank.
McCaig said he saw participation on the school board as an opportunity to be of service to his community.
Hereth, a retired teacher with 30 years’ experience, previously was a teacher with the district and a teachers union representative. He has also served the district as a liaison representing district youths who struggle with housing instability. He’s also worked as a Boys & Girls Club program director and athletic coach and volunteers with Special Olympics. He attended Marysville schools as did his adult children.
Hereth said he’s running to continue his work of the past year and believes his history and experience with the district provides a necessary perspective to the board. With an intense year of decisions and learning the ropes behind him, he said, he hoped for a chance to build on that work.
McCaig said the district does appear to be on a path toward stability. He said he hoped to build on teachers’ job satisfaction and morale, student safety and the public’s perception of the district. Key to all of that, he said, will be communication with the public. McCaig said he hoped to look for ways to increase participation among parents with the school board and build on their communication with schools and teachers.
Hereth, in looking at what were earlier deficiencies within the district, said the district since has worked to adopt repeatable, consistent and predictable processes that guide district decisions on finances, resources, staffing and program support. The resulting decisions, such as closing and reorganizing schools, were difficult, but made with care to explain reasons to the public by using the schools themselves to communicate with parents and community members. Parental involvement, he said, is a main goal for the board in the current school year.
McCaig would offer a useful perspective on the board as well as a desire to serve his community, as he has served his country. Hereth, however, drawing on his experience as an educator and youth advocate — especially one attuned to those students struggling with stable access to housing — offers valuable viewpoints to the board as well as a willingness to work toward shared goals.
As well, voters should also consider the necessity of allowing a board that has already experienced more than its share of turnover and turmoil the opportunity to continue building a working relationship among its members and with the district staff, teachers, parents and the larger community. Voters should retain Hereth — as well as Simpson and Tomas — as the best opportunity for the Marysville School District to continue a path toward stability and the best interests of students.
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