Leadership at the Bainbridge Island School District saw a sudden change Oct. 1 with the announcement that school boardmember Erika Borg resigned from her role, effective immediately, and withdrew her candidacy for the seat in the Nov. 4 general election.
Borg, who was appointed to the District 2 position in February, was the interim director of the BI Chamber of Commerce before stepping into the role at BISD. She served the remainder of former school boardmember Robert Cromwell’s term and was up for permanent election to the position this November. She was running unopposed for the position.
“It was a pleasure working with Erika and I’m grateful for the insights and wisdom she brought to the board. While her tenure was short, her work had an immediate impact on the district, and I wish her well in her future endeavors,” said school board president Evan Saint Clair in a news release.
The district now has just under one month to find a replacement for Borg’s seat, aiming to appoint a new boardmember by Oct. 24. BISD says it is expected that the appointee will be a write-in candidate in the general election, and will be sworn in to the role for a four-year term Nov. 13, if elected. The newly appointed board member would serve a 10-day term before the Nov. 4 election.
But there’s also a chance a candidate could step into the race and run against the board-appointed candidate as a write-in, Saint Clair noted. If that candidate wins, they would replace the board’s choice once the election is certified.
The appointment process for a school board member is public-facing by law, and the community is encouraged to attend interview meetings in person or through Zoom, Saint Clair explained in an email.
“[It] also gives the public a chance to see how candidates respond to focused school board-specific questions in a public setting, allowing us, and the public, to see how they react to typical school board situations,” said Saint Clair. “We are extremely invested in finding an individual who is dedicated to improving student outcomes and do our best to select the most qualified person for the position. While the appointment process is not quite a debate forum, the questions are the same for each appointee candidate, providing excellent exposure to their experience and judgement in an unbiased setting.”
Superintendent Amii Thompson encouraged members of the public in District 2, — an eastern part of the island encompassing Manitou Beach, Ferncliff, Hawley, parts of Rolling Bay and Winslow — to reach out to the district if interested.
“While [this] update was unexpected, we will work through it together in the best way possible — by providing transparent action steps and staying committed to student-centered decision making,” said Thompson in a news release. “If you know someone who lives in the 2nd District, please encourage them to learn more about being a school board director!”
