Edmonds School Board President Nancy Katims is running for reelection to the District 5 position on the school board. Katims is finishing her first four-year term on the board and her second year as board president.

“Our schools have faced unprecedented challenges these past three years, and I am more committed than ever to fighting for our students, educators and families,” Katims said. “From confronting the public health and educational impacts of the pandemic to addressing the budget constraints from insufficient state funding, our district has been forced to meet a series of difficult choices with resolve and compassion. I am running for another term because I believe the families of our district deserve stable, experienced leadership that can meet this demanding moment and deliver for our students.”

“Much has changed in our District since I took office, but one thing has not — I still wake up every day dedicated to doing everything I can to help students succeed, no matter the circumstances,” Katims added.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Katims said she is proud of the board’s accomplishments during this time. In addition to keeping students and staff safe, the school board hired a new superintendent, provided stability during the transition, and worked with district staff and the community to finalize a five-year strategic plan. The strategic plan, which can be viewed here, includes goals for district students, staff and families, giving the board the tools for overseeing and monitoring progress across the district.

An area that Katims said she believes requires a great deal of school board advocacy relates to the school district’s financial health. Several factors are plaguing school district budgets across the state, she said, most notably the lack of adequate state funding. Katims said she will continue to take action with her colleagues to amplify the need for the state to address state funding that impacts the programs and smaller class sizes that students need and deserve.

Katims said she has received endorsements from all four current Edmonds School Board directors.

In a press release announcing her candidacy, Katims noted she has devoted her entire career to improving educational opportunities for students, including almost two decades working as a program director in the Edmonds School District’s student learning department. Before moving to Edmonds with her family in 1998, her work included eight years working in early childhood education in the Chicago Public Schools and seven years developing classroom-based materials for grades 3-8 in mathematics.

Katims lives in Edmonds with her husband Michael, a retired high school teacher. Their two children, Jeff and Casey, graduated from Meadowdale High School and Edmonds-Woodway High School, respectively.

Katims’ position is one of three that are open for election on the school board this year.The others are District 1, filled by Director Carin Chase, and District 3, represented by Gary Noble. While those running for school board represent a specific geographic region, candidates are elected by voters districtwide.