Two women, both active with Issaquah schools, are finalists for an open seat on the Issaquah School Board.
Lisa Callan and Alison Meryweather will undergo a second round of interviews by school board members March 20 to fill the seat vacated by Chad Magendanz, who resigned when he was elected to the state House of Representatives.
Callan and Meryweather were interviewed by the board March 6, along with Margo Campbell, Justin Park and Justin Rolfe.
Meryweather, a 25-year resident of Issaquah who is a self-described “education policy wonk, said the schools need to challenge the students, look at more than raw numbers and look at each school individually to see where its strengths are. She said the district is doing a good job of maximizing its investments.
Passing the next levy and enhancing the experience of all students were on her list of priorities.
Callan, who has a second-grader in the district, said a great school needs community support, a safe environment and the ability to recognize current educational trends.
The achievement gap between students was a hot topic.
Callan said it’s necessary to pinpoint what is needed in the community to take care of hunger and housing. She added that the achievement gap hasn’t been closed because it’s a social issue.
“We’re good at education, but social structures are out of our control,” Callan said, who has volunteered with the Planning and Distribution Board and the Health and Human Services Agency panel for United Way of King County.
Meryweather said the district needs to change the delivery model to underachieving students, and look at ways to give them intensive support.
Both were asked what the district should do if it gets additional money as a result of the McCleary lawsuit, in which a judge ruled the state that it is not adequately funding public education.
Callan said she would put it to work to close the achievement gap, increase nutrition access and spend money on labs and the arts.
Meryweather said she would want to see a community conversation about where to invest those dollars. She would like to see seven-period school days at the high schools and more investment in teachers.
“Our kids need to have more electives to explore their soft skills,” Meryweather said.
Callan is on the PTSA at her son’s school, and Meryweather is active with the Issaquah Schools Foundation, neither which are seen as a conflict of interest if either woman were to become a member of the board. Both said they would resign those positions if there was a perceived conflict.
Whoever is chosen will have to run for re-election if she wants to stay on the board. Meryweather has said she will definitely run, whether she is chosen or not. Callan said if selected she would run in the fall, and probably will anyway.
