By Daniel Warn / dan@yelmonline.com
Rebecca Stillings and Marco Gonzales will face off in the race for the district 5 seat on the Rainier School Board in the Nov. 2 general election.
Stillings, who responded to Nisqually Valley News questions via email, has served on the Rainier School Board since she was elected in 2003, while Gonzales did not respond before the paper’s deadline.
According to the Thurston County Voters’ Pamphlet, Gonzales has no elected experience, but has been a member of the Rainier community for over 15 years.
He has a high school junior as well as a sixth, fourth and second grader going to school in the district. An employee of the city of Tacoma, Gonzales has 10 years professional experience working with the public.
“I am a firm believer that education does not begin nor end within the four walls of the school and that our job as a district is to provide our students as many opportunities as possible to be successful,” Gonzales stated in the pamphlet.
With 18 years of elected experience as a school board member for the Rainier School District, Stillings initially ran for the district 5 seat on the school board in November of 2003 and has served on the board since that time.
“I appreciate the community’s trust in me serving in this capacity,” Stillings said.
She said a successful school district is one that is student-centered, creating a sense of belonging where students feel physically and emotionally safe.
The curriculum must be aligned to state standards and across all grade levels, she said, with high standards and expectations for all students. She added the goal is not to just rely on mandated test data to understand how students are doing.
Stillings said a good district should provide a creative, motivating environment where students are able to take risks and explore their potential with ample opportunities and multiple pathways to support each individual student’s success in order to prepare them for life after graduation.
She hopes to ensure the Rainier School District has an active, vibrant array of classrooms and instruction with plenty of extracurricular activities and opportunities outside of the classroom for students to participate in, she said.
Stillings also said a successful district must be inviting and welcoming of volunteers and community members by instilling a culture of life-long learning cultivated and modeled through professional development opportunities for staff, administration and the board.
She took a moment to address some community concerns on the topic of critical race theory.
“I understand that some people are using terminology like ‘critical race theory’ in ways that are confusing or divisive,” Stillings said. “What I think is important is what is happening in our district related to providing equitable educational opportunities for all our students. I want a district that is focusing on serving all students through a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion and in a culturally responsive manner.”
She said she is “committed to ensuring an environment where each and every student and staff member feels a sense (of) belonging and an appreciation for the uniqueness each brings.”
Her focus would be on the educational equity that exists when a student’s level of opportunity and achievement cannot be predicted based on race, characteristics or circumstances, she said.
“As noted on the (Rainier School District) website, it is a benefit to the entire Rainier community when an emphasis is placed on the success of each and every child entrusted to our care,” she said “As a school district, we have a collective responsibility, and should be accountable, to ensure that all children reach their full potential. This includes children of every race, national origin, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic status and ability.”
In regard to COVID-19-realated precautions the district is currently taking, Stillings said the pandemic era has been the most challenging time she has faced since she was elected.
“Top of mind for me throughout is what is best for our students,” she said. “I think the district has been doing a great job of keeping our students and staff safe as well as ensuring we have the necessary resources to continue with learning.
“Remote learning was hard on everyone and I wanted to get the kids back in the buildings as soon as safely possible,” Stillings said. “I understand that not everyone agrees with the current department of health guidelines and the COVID precautions the district is taking. I think the district is managing this situation well.”
Ultimately, Stillings said she puts all of her decisions through a lens of what’s best for the students.
“Caring for each student’s academic, social and emotional needs is a top priority,” she said. “I support educational pathways that meet the individual student’s needs. During my tenure on the board, we have expanded educational pathways including vocational training opportunities, college readiness, advance placement and workforce readiness preparation.”
Ballots for the Nov. 2 general election have already been mailed.
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