Every child deserves a welcoming and safe school that values and honors them. I’m running for Seattle School Board to ensure that our students have what they need to learn and thrive.

As a Seattle Council PTSA board member and Chair of the public schools advocacy group, Soup for Teachers, I have spent the last several years engaging with and working alongside families and educators all over Seattle. From facilitating cross-district collaboration, to advocating for students receiving special education services, to speaking at Board meetings and with state legislators, I’ve worked at every level to improve our public schools. I will bring broad and deep knowledge of SPS along with collaborative problem-solving skills to serve you on the Seattle School Board.

Our district faces many challenges. To create solutions for Seattle students and families, the school district must center equity and inclusion in everything. As a School Board Director, I’ll prioritize accountability to the district’s new Strategic Plan and meaningful family and community engagement.

Every family wants the best for their student. We must make sure that the district welcomes all families with opportunity and resources to engage fully with their student's education. School administrators and educators must have the support they need to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction with support for differentiation to meet our diverse students’ academic needs, interests, and abilities. I’m committed to making Seattle Public Schools the best it can be for families, students, and teachers.

Early endorsements include current School Board Directors Jill Geary and Zachary DeWolf; Wayne Au, Professor and editor of Rethinking Schools; Dr. Ilene Schwartz, educator and national authority on inclusion and early childhood education. Together we can create a school system that works for all Seattle students. I’m asking for your support.

I have been a Seattle Public Schools (SPS) parent for 16 years, worked on PTA/PTO boards for 10 years, and have been honored with a Golden Acorn award. I served on the SPS Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee and the High School Boundaries Task Force. As an engineer, I understand the need for precision in data and analysis. I know the district’s strengths and weaknesses. We can do better for our 53,000 students. With your support, I will advocate for every student and parent across Seattle.

Fiscally and Academically Responsible Investments: Cutting teachers is devastating for schools. We need budgets based on real numbers, not artificially low projections. Otherwise, we cut teachers in the spring only to scramble to hire replacements in the fall. We must invest in classroom teachers, Special Education staff, counselors, and librarians.

Equity: Many students of color face opportunity gaps and disproportionate discipline. While SPS is making progress in some areas, more must be done. I will fight to fund solutions, including restorative justice programs, equitably delivered opportunities, and meaningful investments in Ethnic Studies and Since Time Immemorial curricula.

Accountability and Choice: SPS has a moral and legal obligation to provide appropriate services for every student. I will hold the Board and staff accountable for following policy and the law. Every student needs a top-notch education from SPS. Let’s highlight model programs that could be adapted to help students districtwide. SPS must provide options for students who aren’t served well by their neighborhood school. I support public school choice and I will fight for SPS option schools, not charter schools.

Endorsed by: Seattle School Board President Leslie Harris; School Board Director Eden Mack; former School Board Presidents Sue Peters, Sharon Peaslee, Kay Smith-Blum; King County Young Democrats; 32nd, 36th, and 46th District Democrats.

I’m a father of three Seattle Public Schools students and I am a Seattle Public School graduate. I believe that a quality education is fundamental and if elected I will hold myself, the board and the superintendent accountable for all student’s outcomes.

Each election there seems to be a district crisis that threatens the stability of our district and its’ ability to provide a quality education for all of its students. This year’s crisis is probably the worst I’ve seen in my 14 years as a SPS parent.

We need to insure the district can hire and retain the best teachers plus maintain our schools without taxing people out of their homes or taking on massive debt. Cutting teachers and librarians or forgoing building maintenance is not the answer to a financial crisis.

If elected I would conduct a review of all possible cost savings including elimination of central administrative positions and any unnecessary expenditures.  I would like to see an expansion of the Running Start program and more online learning options, especially for credit recovery.

I’m ready to work for all our students and promote a cost effective path forward for Seattle public schools and I need your vote to do it.   Please vote for me.

—Michael Christophersen 

There is an inner gift hidden inside each and every student.Those gifts can be uncovered only by diverse curriculum, essential guidance, continuous encouragement and effective policies. No student, teacher or parent deserves to struggle or be stressed out during this learning process. I believe in collaboration instead of competition.Our students deserve to go through the education process with peace of mind, a positive self image, confidence and success in preparation for their future life, career and the fast growing technology base world we live in.

I am an immigrant, an elected Precinct Committee Officer in 46th Legislative District, officer at large in Executive Board of Democrats and chair of Inclusion and Affirmative action, I have had the honor of connecting with my community through canvassing, democratic meetings and volunteering. As a scientist and an advocate for STEM with years of medical and dental research background and a member of American Association for the Advancement of Science I believe we need to create a scientific and innovative approach to our school system specially that we are inside a fast growing science and technology base city. Education and opportunities must be available to all students with no exceptions. I will focus on our teachers, students and parents by fighting for improvements, petition for budgets and better policies as I have previously done through advocating for bills effecting graduate students and department of health science of University of Washington in Olympia.

I will combine my diverse, scientific background with my pledge to fight hard for our public schools to make sure every single member of our school system is covered under policies and budgets that will benefit them now and in future. I humbly ask for your vote to fight for you and be your voice. 

I am a parent of three students in Seattle Public Schools and I attended grade school and middle school in Seattle Public Schools.

I have worked as an advocate for students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) for nearly 15 years at the school, district, state and Federal level. I worked with parents and guardians consulting on issues around special education.

The Seattle School District has around a billion dollar budget with 113 schools. It has been consistently difficult if not impossible to track the Special Education funding let alone the rest of the funds. As taxpayers we need the school district finances to be transparent.

Further, it is concerning how far the district has gotten from teaching the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic and developing critical thinking skills. Instead the focus is placed on socializing the student subverting the parental role.

If elected I would first ask to review the finances and focus on reducing the administrative cost.  I would seek to direct funding to the schools giving them more autonomy and the ability to more specifically represent its local families. I would be honored and accountable if given the opportunity to serve the citizens of Seattle. Please consider voting for me.