There isn’t exactly a Mason-Dixon line equivalent, but there are differences between the north and south ends of the Everett School District.
And, while there are issue distinctions between Pos. 2 school board candidates Carol Andrews and Susan Kaftanski, the geographical nuances are worth noting by voters.
Andrews, a CPA by trade, has volunteered her time for the past eight years as treasurer for the levy/bond committee in the district. What started out as offering her day-job skills to the district that served Andrews, her husband and children, became an interest in the decisions and policies that direct the taxpayers’ money.
When she decided to run, Andrews requested and received a copy of the district budget. However, that didn’t provide the background, the underpinnings, she was looking for and asked for and pored over a more comprehensive financial report.
For Andrews, a south-end resident with ties to the north, the problems facing each are distinct. North-end schools need resources to deal with a challenging mix of demographic academic issues. The south-end schools need help as they bend under the weight of growth-related issues.
Kaftanski, a house-call veterinarian, focuses on adding communication as the coping strategy for most challenges facing the district. A north-end resident and less familiar with south-end issues, Kaftanski does make a good suggestion to move an occasional board meeting to the south and shift the late-afternoon start time of board meetings to one that fits working parents’ schedules.
In this race, all district voters would be best served by putting Andrews on the board.
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