Shoreline School Board Director District 1 Candidate statements

Michael Jacobs, incumbent School Board President, is challenged by Meghan Jernigan for Shoreline School Board Director District 1. Their statements follow.

Michael Jacobs

Michael Jacobs

My wife and I graduated from Shorewood High School and our four children are products of the Shoreline School District. When we started our family, we wanted to be here in Shoreline so our kids could be raised in this community and educated in our schools. I am passionately committed to the Shoreline District and am honored to be the current President of the School Board.

During my tenure on the Board we have:

• Achieved financial stability and negotiated competitive contracts with staff
• Constructed two new High Schools, Parkwood Elementary and the Edwin Pratt Early Learning Center
• Two new middle schools are under construction
• Hired a Director of Equity and Family Engagement
• Placed Equity leads in each of the Schools
• Implemented race and equity policies, which include LGBTQ polices and protections, and are training staff and students on the policies
• Installed solar power on Parkwood and will be installing solar on the new middle schools when completed
• Implemented composting programs in the District
• Hired a Coordinator to oversee and implement our reduce, reuse and recycle policies
• Made early education more accessible and inclusive for all students

Our Schools are consistently ranked nationally and in the top tier of the state. Our kids consistently out-perform the state averages by a significant margin. We are producing exceptional lifelong learners.

However, we are not resting on our laurels. When the new middle schools open, we will be implementing Honors for all students in middle school. We have revised HiCap testing and identification to make HiCap more inclusive for all students. We have implemented policies and procedures to remove institutional barriers and level the playing field for all of our kids. I would like to continue this important work so that ALL of our students receive a world class education.

michaelpjacobs.com

Meghan Jernigan

Meghan Jernigan

Hello! I’m Meghan Jernigan, and I am running for Shoreline School Board, Director District 1. My husband Josh and I have two children who attend Shoreline Public Schools and we live in the Meridian Park neighborhood. I’ve spent the past few years serving as the PTSA Board Secretary, listening to and learning from our educators, administrators and families across the district. I’m honored to have the endorsement of the Shoreline Education Association, and I am respectfully asking for your vote.

We have so much to be proud of in our district, and I’m grateful to current and past board members for their dedicated community service. But Shoreline schools face emerging challenges that require our most creative thinking.

In recent years, poor strategic planning resulted in a multi-year disruption of our kindergarten program, burdening our district families, increasing the district’s costs for busing, and putting more cars on the road. Shoreline’s growth in housing and future light rail will require a school board that is engaged in generational planning to ensure access to a network of neighborhood schools for those to come.

While progress has been made, our district experiences persistent opportunity gaps across academic performance, graduation rates, participation in sports and placement in our highly capable programs. As a Native woman raising two children in the district, these gaps are at the center of our experience. We need diverse voices and ideas at the table to unlock our district’s full potential and meet the educational needs of all our students.

I believe public health approaches offer the richest opportunities for improving educational outcomes. As a Staff Scientist at WSU, I will draw upon my public health background as a framework for communication, priority setting, and fostering successful student environments. I would be honored to represent you and advance a shared vision for our district’s growth.

http://www.jernigan4board.com/