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Seattle School District No. 1

Director District No. 3

Christie Robertson

Christie Robertson

PO Box 15855

Seattle, WA 98115

(206) 919-9043

christieforkids@gmail.com

christieforkids.com

Education: PhD Neurobiology - UW, 2002. MA - Macalester College 1994. Shaker Heights HS 1990
Occupation: parent and advocate
Statement:

Employment and Community Service:  Seattle Special Education PTSA. Thornton Creek PTA. Business Operations - Root Academy. Software Development Manager - Geospiza. Lab tech - Case Western Reserve University.


What makes public schools special? It’s the collective effort by families, teachers, and neighbors to craft an educational vision, support its implementation, and make it available to every child in our community. 


I'm running for School Board because I believe I can help bring Seattle Public Schools closer to this ideal. 


Right now, our public schools are struggling to meet our vision. Despite great teachers and caring community members, the insufficient state and federal funding and long-standing budget and leadership difficulties have left Seattle Public Schools, our educators, and our children in a difficult situation.


As a parent and advocate deeply involved in special education, I bring a passion for inclusion and educational justice. I am dedicated to ensuring that every child has access to a welcoming and supportive environment that nurtures their growth and success. I believe the school board has a critical role to play in the functioning of our school system.


My key initiatives include fostering welcoming school environments, strengthening community engagement, transparency, and oversight, and addressing special education failings. These are the initiatives and values that will guide me on the school board. They will inform how I work with the public and our school communities to address our district’s financial needs and our ongoing shortcomings in delivering a great education. I am dedicated to cultivating an inclusive, equitable, and effective educational system. I will engage with community, increase oversight and accountability, and I will always center the vision that public school should be a place where every child can succeed. I look forward to working together to support our public schools!

Evan Briggs

Evan Briggs

PO BOX 9100

SEATTLE, WA 98109

(206) 229-7760

info@electevanbriggs.com

www.electevanbriggs.com

Education: MFA in Documentary Film and Video, Stanford University; BA in Literature, Duke University
Occupation: documentary filmmaker
Statement:

At its best, education opens doors and unlocks potential. Yet in a city of abundant resources, we face persistent opportunity gaps that are among the worst in our nation. As the parent of three SPS students, one of my core beliefs is that we advocate most effectively for our own children when we advocate for all children. We must align our district to focus on student outcomes, such that every child in this city receives the education they deserve.


From running a summer program for children of East African refugees to teaching at the college level, I have spent time in the classroom and understand the unique challenges our educators face. From a parent perspective, my efforts to secure the support necessary for my child to thrive at school have been met with frustrating roadblocks. As a board member, I will hold myself accountable for advocating for policies that support and empower our educators to help our kids reach their full potential.


Children are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. Our schools are facing a budget crisis. And data show that too many students in our district are profoundly underserved. Addressing these issues requires big picture thinking and a systems approach to enacting meaningful change. 


Having served on PTAs and the Magnuson Park Advisory Committee, I understand that systemic change doesn’t happen overnight. I also understand that successful movements are grounded in relationship building, which is why I will advocate for inclusive engagement policies and proactive, transparent communication.


I chose a career in filmmaking because I believe stories shape how we see and understand the world. They have the power to transform. Together, let’s create a new story about education in Seattle.


Endorsed by: Current School Board President Brandon Hersey, Board Director Chandra Hampson and former Board Director Jill Geary.

 

Ben Gitenstein

Ben Gitenstein

PO BOX 15909

SEATTLE, WA 98115

(206) 294-5987

Ben@wedeservebetterschools.org

www.wedeservebetterschools.org

Education: MBA, University of Washington, Bachelors in Arts, Middlebury College
Occupation: Product, Google Cloud; previously Director, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
Statement:

Seattle is a progressive, educated, and innovative city, but our Public Schools are failing too many kids, teachers, and families. There is a real but quiet crisis in our schools: pandemic disruptions, declining enrollment, budget instability, and widening gaps in equity and outcomes. I am running for School Board because I believe that we can meet this challenge and build great schools for all families.


I’ve called Seattle home for 20 years. I’ve fought for housing affordability as the Executive Director of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance. I’ve worked at leading technology companies. I’ve been a proud SPS parent– volunteering for school plays, chess club, and fundraising events. Our kids have had dedicated, talented, and committed teachers. 


We need systemic change to address urgent needs. After a student died from gun violence at Ingraham High School there was little to no response. The Board and District intend to close neighborhood schools and have ended vital enrichment programs. Students furthest from educational justice are, using the District’s own measures, worse off than they were in 2019. The constant budget panic is a result of a fundamentally unsound financial footing with no plans to make real changes. As a result, many parents who can are leaving for private schools.


We deserve a School Board that takes gun violence seriously. We deserve a Board that fights to keep neighborhood schools open and offer programs that draw students in. We deserve a Board that does more than talk about improving the education of the kids most in need of our help, but insists on results. I don’t have all the answers, but I believe that bringing in new voices is the first step to getting back on the right track. 


I would appreciate your vote. 


My views are my own, not my employer’s.

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