School Board Campaigns

Today is the first day that candidates can file for the School Board elections in the fall. Filing closes at 4:00pm on Friday. I will update this post with the names of candidates as they file.

You can check for yourself who has filed for each race on the King County Elections web page. The County's web page is updated twice daily.

As of Friday, June 5:

District #4: Michael DeBell (added on 6/2)

District #5: Kay Smith-Blum (added on 6/2), Andre Helmstetter (added on 6/4)Joanna Cullen (added 6/5), Mary E. Bass (added 6/5)

District #7: Charlie Mas (added on 6/1), Betty Patu (added on 6/1), Greg Wong (added 6/5), Wilson Chin (added 6/5), Bookda Gheisar (added 6/5)

Comments

WS said…
This is the "who's filed yet" page:
http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/200908/candidatefilings.aspx

-Tracy @ West Seattle Blog
6/1/09, 3:51 PM
Bruce Taylor said…
The link is too long to display (in my browser, at least) so try clicking this link instead.
6/1/09, 4:15 PM
Maureen said…
So is Mary Bass running again? I know DeBell is and Chow isn't (and Charlie IS!).
6/1/09, 4:21 PM
Unknown said…
maureen i would have to say that is the 64k question.
6/1/09, 8:57 PM
ParentofThree said…
Seattle School District No. 1 Director District No. 7
Charlie Mas
Betty Patu
6/1/09, 9:50 PM
anonymous said…
Who is Betty Patu? Anybody know anything about her?
6/2/09, 6:52 AM
ParentofThree said…
Google her name lots comes up, including a 1992 New York Times article about her and the work she was doing at RBHS at the time

She is/was also on city council.
6/2/09, 7:45 AM
Unknown said…
and her husband is erstwhile islander and disadvanted student advocate von paul patu, isn't he?
6/2/09, 8:04 AM
anonymous said…
Go, Charlie, go!
6/2/09, 12:14 PM
Melissa Westbrook said…
Yes, I know Von Paul Patu; great guy who works very hard (as does Betty, I believe) for the Pacific Islander community. Betty is a former teacher and ran but did not win for Seattle City Council. She works for the district at Rainier Beach High School as an intervention specialist. She is likely well-regarded in that region.
6/2/09, 12:32 PM
Anonymous said…
Kay Smith-Blum, anyone?
6/2/09, 8:34 PM
owlhouse said…
I think it would be great if readers, contributors and commenters to this blog would post school board candidate news, including filing deadlines, to their neighborhood blogs.

As most of us know, many in our city are out of touch with the happenings of SPS and know next to nothing about the workings of the school board. Let's bring the conversation- concerns and solutions- to our neighbors before the big money starts rolling in.

I know there are blogs for Capitol Hill, W Sea, Fremont, Ballard, Central, Rainier Valley, Georgetown, Beacon Hill, Greenlake, Magnolia...

The sooner the better.
6/3/09, 12:36 AM
Charlie Mas said…
Kay Smith-Blum is co-owner and CEO of Butch Blum, a clothing retailer.

She has raised money for school music programs.
6/3/09, 8:57 AM
ParentofThree said…
Another district 5:

Andre Helmstetter
6/4/09, 10:11 AM
Robert said…
I felt that Andre Helmstetter presented very well to the board against the closures (primarily TTM).
6/4/09, 11:01 AM
Dorothy Neville said…
Good golly, who are all those people?
6/5/09, 5:38 PM
suep. said…
Two more late arrivals -- Mary B gets off the fence

Seattle School District No. 1
Director District No. 5
Kay Smith-Blum
Andre Helmstetter
Mary E. Bass
Joanna Cullen
6/5/09, 6:04 PM
ParentofThree said…
Final:

Director District No. 4
Michael DeBell

Director District No. 5
Kay Smith-Blum
Andre Helmstetter
Mary E. Bass
Joanna Cullen


Director District No. 7
Bookda Gheisar
Greg Wong
Wilson Chin
Charlie Mas
Betty Patu
6/5/09, 7:48 PM
Charlie Mas said…
It appears that Director DeBell will be running un-opposed.

Director Bass, running for her third term, has three opponents, a couple of whom could be tough. There is an excellent possibility that Ms Smith-Blum could be a strong fund-raiser and Joanna Cullen, a former president of the Seattle Council PTA has a lot of contacts.

There are FIVE people running for the open seat in District 7. Aside from myself and Betty Patu, now in the race are: Wilson Chin. Bookda Gheisar, executive director of Global Washington, and Greg Wong, an attorney and former teacher.
6/6/09, 7:48 AM
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