Stanwood Camano School District
director position 1
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Albert Schreiber Mr Schreiber did not respond to my request for information, so I’ve had to piece together what I could find. From the school district website: Al Schreiber was re-elected in November 2017. He received his BS in Business Administration from Trine University in 1972 and his Masters from Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management in 1977. He is retired after 36 years in law enforcement. As a Senior Special Agent his duties included adult education/training and his last 9 years were spent at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and assignments to the International Law Enforcement Academy. For the past 19 years he served as an instructor teaching “Leadership” around the world. Al lives in the Warm Beach area with his wife, JoAnne (a teacher/administrator), and their triplets. https://www.pdc.wa.gov/browse/cases/59685 It looks like the righties have been after him for a long time. They filed a complaint about violation of campaign laws with the Public Disclosure Commission. Disposition: case closed with no evidence of violations. Resolved 12-16-19. |
https://www.goskagit.com/scnews/news/election-2021-schreiber-forslund-layout-their-visions-for-school-board/article_294c8332-660c-5be5-9f38-a4125d9b86ca.html?fbclid=IwAR2ukyfHxVNBQ517yzIFplmiIaIngX4fLuvcpAuHLBQ36rK_5JnS4qo3Vfo#utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social
“There’s quite a learning curve to learning how to help manage the district. The biggest thing we do is manage the taxpayers' dollars and making sure they’re well invested.”
Schreiber said he’s proud of district accomplishments during his tenure, such as overseeing the construction of new school buildings and upgrades to existing schools. “But one of our biggest accomplishments is that we’ve been able to do all these things without a raise in the local tax rate,” he said.
Why did you run for office?
To help our children graduate from school ready for further education, careers, and a successful future and that they would reflect our community values including work ethic, persistence, integrity, fiscal responsibility, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and a desire to give back to their community.
What is a major issue facing the Stanwood-Camano School Board and how would you address that issue? Recovering from Covid-19 and maintaining our local control over our schools while those in Olympia (Governor, Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction and legislature) seek to mandate unpopular/controversial requirements, programs and curriculum. I will continue to fight for what is best for our kids and use my experience on the board and in the community to ensure our children receive an education and not an indoctrination.
Why should voters choose you?
I'm asking voters to keep the vision going and re-elect me because experience is important and I have more board experience than most of our directors. With the retirement this summer of the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent, the new superintendent (Dr. Deborah Rumbaugh) will need the support of an experienced board, the one that hired her. Experience in providing a safe learning environment is critical today and I am the only director or candidate with an extensive background in Public Safety. I also have experience advocating/supporting marginalized groups and those most vulnerable including special education. We now provide full-time kindergarten in all elementary schools, a principal in every school (no more shared administrators) and most recently our current board completed the new Stanwood High School, new Church Creek Campus (Lincoln Hill High School, Lincoln Academy, Saratoga School homeschool parent-partnership), Maintenance/Technology building, and the stadium renovations without any increase in local property tax rates as promised.
I’m not exactly thrilled with Mr Schreiber and his complaints about the Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction. Nor am I thrilled with his definition of “public safety.” But he does take Covid seriously, which I appreciate.
Gary Forslund
https://www.facebook.com/Gary-Forslund-for-Stanwood-Camano-School-Board-100310355669564/
gforslund4shools@gmail.com
“I struggle with the School Board’s means of communication with the community,” Forslund said. “I don’t feel like the community trusts them.”
He actually responded to my information request.
1. I want to serve on the Stanwood-Camano School Board to improve our school district for our students. Our schools are good. They can be great. The School Board has been run the same way for a long time. Times and issues are changing. These changes need to be met with fresh ideas and insight if our district is to move forward and our students are to be successful.
2. The School Board’s main objectives are to give direction to the District Superintendent, establish general district policy, and adopt an annual budget. Many issues (ie. sex education, mask and vaccine mandates, Critical Race Theory) are set by the State of Washington. I would hope the board would give direction on implementation. And when the board is in disagreement with state rules, they would push back and/or question state officials concerning motivation and how well they serve the needs of our students.
3. I want all students to reach their greatest learning potential. None of us learn the same way, and students need to know that is normal. Providing students with only a median education denies the diversity inherent in people. It is essential to meet the varied needs of students in order to help them reach their full potential.
4. I believe our schools should concentrate on quality fundamental education: reading, writing, math, science, etc. While many school districts are prioritizing trending ideologies, my goal is to support and promote teaching and learning of core foundational subjects.
5. I am the father of 5 grown children who attended Stanwood Schools. I have worked in the district as a custodian, supporting the teaching staff. I have firsthand knowledge of how the school system operates. I also was the Public School Employees union president for 1 ½ years representing the non-certificated staff of the district. I am well aware of their issues and concerns.
6. I want to provide appropriate direction to the superintendent, listen to and respond to the voice of parents, and always keep the success and welfare of our students in the forefront.
7. I believe parents and families have a pivotal role in guiding their children through the pitfalls and ramifications of the societal and political challenges of our nation. When educators impart factual information without bias while promoting life skills like integrity, leadership, kindness, and teamwork, students and families will have the freedom to work through their meanings.
I believe students benefit most when families and educators partner together in the learning process. When parents are involved, students receive more quality support and personalized attention. I want to continue to foster policies that promote parental involvement and positive communication between educators and families.
Occupation: I am the Lead Pastor at New View Church in Stanwood.Education background: I have a BA degree in Christian Education.Elected offices held: None listed
Elected office sought: I am running for position 1 on the Stanwood-Camano School Board. I spent 6 years working at Cedarhome Elementary School as a custodian. I spent a year and a half as president of the PSE (Public School Employees) union for the Stanwood-Camano School District. I worked for the US Postal Service in Stanwood for 16 years. I have lived in Stanwood for 38 years. My wife and I raised our 5 children here.
Why did you run for office? I am committed to the students of the Stanwood-Camano area. I believe our schools should concentrate on providing students with a quality education that transcends the trending ideologies of our time. I want all students to achieve their greatest learning potential regardless of their social status or intellectual capabilities. I believe families should have the pivotal role of guiding their students through the societal and political challenges of our nation. I believe students benefit most when families and educators partner together in the learning process. We have a good school district. It can be great.
Why should voters choose you? Our school district can meet the challenges of the future. Together with our new Superintendent, Dr. Deborah Rumbaugh, we can guide our students through an education process that will promote independent thinking, creative problem solving, and productive living. Our students deserve the best opportunity to succeed in life. A quality education will give them a good start to achieve their highest potential. I want to be a part of that process.
I’ve not been able to find any more about the good reverend. I am a firm believer in the constitutional separation of church and state. If for no other reason, I would not support a purveyor of religion on a school board.
He is supported by fellow candidate Tracy Abuhl.
Truth to tell, I’m not overly impressed by either of these candidates, and I suspect that I’m missing a whole lot, since word is that it was the anti-mask, anti-equity crowd from Stanwood-Camano that invaded the 3 Whidbey school boards and screamed their way into shutting down those meetings. On South Whidbey this involved a high volume recitation of the pledge of allegiance.
If I voted in Stanwood-Camano, I would vote unenthusiastically for Albert Schreiber.
Director position 2
Charlotte Murry
https://www.facebook.com/people/Charlotte-Murry-Stanwood-Camano-School-Board/100057654926553/
cmurry@stanwood.wednet.edu
Charlotte Murry was elected to the Board in November 2019. She is a 20-year resident of Camano Island and life long Washington resident. Charlotte currently works as an Executive Administrator for the Snohomish & Island County Labor Council. She has been a very active volunteer in the community while raising her three children in the school district; her youngest currently attends the high school.
Ms Murry answered my blog questions when she first ran for office. I would love to have updated information, but lacking that, I figured I’d re-run what she had to say then:
1. Why are you running for this particular position?
I am running for office for several reasons. I come from a long line of family that believes in civic service, growing up around in that environment, it is part of who I am. I also believe that if you find problems with something, that you should try and be part of the solution, not just complain about it and hope someone else will fix it. I have 3 children that have been through the Stanwood Camano School district; two that have graduated and one that is still at the high school. Over the years, I have seen really great things and some not so great things. When elected, I would like to move our school district forward; giving all students the best opportunities for a successful future and hopefully fix something of the things that are broken along the way.
2. What do you hope to accomplish in this position?
I would like to have a healthier environment for all of our students and teachers to learn and work in. For our students to feel physically and emotionally safe and appreciated for their individual learning styles and our teachers, who are our eyes and ears, to feel comfortable bringing concerns to administration and working together to find the best solutions for all those involved. Today's schools are very different than anything we have seen in history, having to tackle issues that previous generations would have never ever considered; mass shootings, suicide, cyber-bullying, discrimination, etc. The common theme in many of these issues is mental health. It has to be at the forefront.
3. What problems do you see that you expect to correct or alleviate?
I believe we have not been compliant in coming up with out of the box solutions to issues, making excuses that we don't have the financial resources or other cop outs. There are many state & federal grants and other resources in the community that I feel we don't take advantage of that could help us with these shortfalls.
4. What relevant experience do you have?
I have worked in many fields over the years. I have extensive background in information technology, construction, healthcare, finance and accounting. Over the years I have been blessed to be in leadership of groups that got together and solve problems for the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, Weyerhaeuser, REI and many other organizations in the Puget Sound region. As a member of the Snohomish County Labor Council, I also very familiar with what it means to bargain in good faith when it comes to our teachers and support staff. As my children have grown, I have been an art docent, PTA member, soccer coach, and the Stanwood High Band Booster President; these experiences have giving me a good insight into our schools and our students.
5. What will be your operating philosophy in office?
I have a very strong work ethic and I am very serious about working to find solutions to our school district’s issues. Being a school board member is very important and there is a lot at stake for the future of our students, teachers and community.
6. What message would you like to convey to voters?
I would like the voters to know that I want what is best for our students, teachers and district from an educational and fiscal prospective. We have a very special multi-generational community full of heritage; where people come back to raise their families. I don't want to loose that. I want to help us build on that and give our students the best education and keys to financial success so they can come back to our area to raise the next generation.
Her FB pages supports and advocates for music programs as well as vocational programs. And she is super focused on Covid safety.
I found a great piece about music on her FB page, and agree wholeheartedly:
Why Music?
I. Music is a Science
II. Music is Mathematical
III. Music is a Foreign Language
IV. Music is History
V. Music is Physical Education
VI. Music Develops Insight and Demands Research
VII. Music is all these things, but most of all, Music is Art
That is why we teach music: Not because we expect you to major in music; not because we expect you to play or sing all your life but so you will be human; so you will recognize beauty; so you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world; so you will have something to cling to; so you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good – in short, more LIFE.
Now how you could you not support someone who loves both music and students?
Her Voter’s Guide statement is focused on Covid protection and recovery, both physical and mental. She intends to continue to work on district communications and helping overcome the lag caused by so many months of distance learning.
Tracy Abuhl
https://www.facebook.com/friendsforTracy/
she lists a website but that did not seem to be functional.
Of course she didn’t respond to my request for information.
She’s up front: No more masks. No more mandates.
“With your support I will encourage a love for America to be brought back into our classrooms.”
She seems to imply without saying so that districts were paid to enforce mask mandates.
She touts “Save The Children *Project Veritas*”. Project Veritas is the political bottom feeder group that doctors video to make all manner of false claims about progressive and democratic politicians and organizations. To quote from the New Jersey Education Association: “Project Veritas is a political organization with a long history of releasing deceptively edited videos that later prove to have been dishonest and misleading. The founder pled guilty in 2010 and was sentenced to 3 years’ probation. Project Veritas sends secret operatives, using false identities, to lie to other individuals while secretly recording them. . . Their false allegations are entirely fabricated for the purpose of creating a false narrative.”
She touts the “Silent Majority Foundation”, which says its cause is to protect American communities and families from the degradation of our constitutionally protected rights. They will “always focus on God and Country as the core of our mission.” They have filed suit against “Dictator Inslee” over the various Covid mandates. This is “a fight to retain our freedom of choice and, more importantly, protect the great gift of free will given to us by God.”
She touts “Turning Point USA” – “We play offense with a sense of urgency to win America’s culture war” Their stated mission is “to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government. Turning Point USA believes that every young person can be enlightened to true free market values.”
She touts “Fear Unmasked. Discover the Truth About the Coronavirus Shutdown”. Evidently this is a Covid denial gang pushing an “Awaken America” tour featuring your favorite election fraudsters and Covid deniers.
She touts “Pacific Justice Institute.” The Southern Poverty Law Center rates this as an anti-LGBT hate group. PJI says it is “a legal organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties.” They advocated for Prop 8 in California, to ban gay marriage. They testified before congress against anti-hate crime legislation.
There’s plenty more, mainly to the effect that masks are ineffective, they harm kids, health departments are taking kids from their parents, and nobody’s dying anyway so what’s the fuss.
And of course she signed that hysterical anti-student, anti-science, anti-schools letter (see Oak Harbor School District candidate Jessica Thompson).
This woman scares me right out of my underwear. She is everything I oppose. She hates what I love and loves what I hate. She believes all manner of long since debunked conspiracy theories and wild claims. She has absolutely no knowledge of or, as far as I can tell, interest in actually running a school district. She has her agenda and that is what she will push while all those other functions are handled by someone else - or not.
Even if her opponent were a rag doll, I would prefer that option. But in fact her opponent is a level-headed intelligent, competent sitting school board member who is doing her best to do what’s right for students and staff at Stanwood Camano schools.
If I voted in the Stanwood Camano School District I would vote strongly for Charlotte Murry.
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