The Northshore School District’s community will be electing three School Board directors in the upcoming Nov. 3 general election. The School Board is comprised of five School Board directors that represent the different geographical regions within the school district. These are unpaid, voluntary positions that are elected by a majority vote from registered voters within the school-district boundaries. Regardless of which particular area a director comes from, they are each elected by the entire school district because, once on the board, they will make decisions affecting the entire district. Note that the board directors are not chosen by the district administrators or the other board directors whose terms are not yet expired.

Directors serve four-year terms that are staggered every two years. This year, there are three positions up for election. The remaining two positions will be up for election in 2011. The board elects a president to lead the meetings, but no one on the board, including the president, has any individual governing power. They information, ask questions and hear input. Once a vote is taken, the majority decision prevails.

School boards were created by the state to provide local governance. Their legal mandate, as a subdivision of the state, “is to make ample provision for the education of all children.” The state also created a governing agency, the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) to provide school boards with resources, training and guidelines for their success. For information, visit www.wssda.org.