Kent School District looks to fill vacant board seat

The Kent School District is seeking candidates to fill a vacancy for the District No. 1 school board position.

The new board member will serve out the remainder of Russ Hanscom’s four-year term, which expires in November 2019. Hanscom resigned form the board in late July for personal reasons.

To be eligible to serve on the school board, candidates must be U.S. citizens, qualified voters and have permanent residence in the boundaries of District No. 1, which includes the portion of the school district south of 192nd Street, east of Military Road, north of James and West Meeker streets and west of 104th Avenue Southeast and 116th Avenue Southeast.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21.

Interested candidates should contact the superintendent’s office at 253-373-7701 to request an application packet. Completed applications can be mailed or dropped off at the district’s administration center, 12033 SE 256th Street, Kent, 98030, or emailed to ksdboardvacancy@kent.k12.wa.us.

The other four members of the school board will review all applications in an executive session on Thursday, Sept. 28. Public Interviews will be conducted at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, in the boardroom of the administration center.

The candidate selected by the board will be sworn at the regularly scheduled board meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 11.

By state law, the district has 90 days to fill the vacancy.

The school board formally accepted Hanscom’s resignation at its meeting on Wednesday night.

Board president Maya Vengadasalam said during the meeting she was grateful for Hanscom’s service.

“We really appreciate all his input and valued many of his perspectives on the the board,” she said.

Hanscom, who was first elected to the board in 2011, is running for Kent City Council against councilwoman Brenda Fincher in the Nov. 7 general election.