Siri Bliesner poised to be new member of Lake Washington School Board
October 25, 2011
By Christopher Huber
Siri Bliesner, of Redmond, is running in an uncontested race for the Lake Washington School Board this fall. She will replace outgoing board member Ravi Shahani.
Although Bliesner does not live in Sammamish, school board seats are voted on by the district as a whole, and decisions she makes will impact Sammamish families in the Lake Washington district. The general election is Nov. 8.
Bliesner works in public health and graduated from Stanford with a degree in human biology and received a masters in public health from the University of Washington, she said. She speaks Spanish and currently works for Hopelink as the outcome and evaluation coordinator.
Originally from the Seattle area, she and her husband of 18 years, David Cline, have two children. Samara attends Redmond High School and Josiah attends Redmond Junior High. For the past 10 years, Bliesner has volunteered in her children’s schools. She is a founding board member of the Lake Washington Schools Foundation and developed their classroom grant program. Bliesner has also helped implement several after-school activities like chess club, math club, Lego league robotics and school musical productions. She has received a Golden Acorn Award from the Rockwell PTA for her work in that school’s community.
Why do you want to be on the school board?
I believe in the importance of strong public schools and feel that LWSD needs to actively engage the community in the schools. My own children have grown up in the public schools and are now in high school and junior high. Having advocated for my own children, I want to ensure that the district continues to meet the needs of all students with different abilities.
What issues are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about providing access to quality education for all students. That ranges from the children with learning disabilities to students in choice schools and those in advanced placement classes.
What should the district focus on as it reconfigures grades for fall of 2012?
The district should take every opportunity to communicate with all families to keep them well informed about what is happening and the decisions that are being made about the reconfiguration. Space is an issue at two of the high schools (Eastlake and Redmond high schools) and will need to be addressed proactively. Construction needs to happen in a timely fashion to make sure that the space is there for all the new students.
Why come on board in the middle of all the financial mess?
I believe that public schools are a vital component to our community and that we should all be involved. As a member of the school board, I can be part of making good decisions during difficult budget times.
How will the district keep arts and other dwindling programs funded in these times?
There is strong community support for the arts and this will need to be strengthened as the district has to make more difficult financial decisions. I believe that the arts are an integral part of a student’s learning experience and needs to be maintained. These programs will need to continue securing support from outside funds such as PTA, the schools foundations and other grants, as well as have support from the LWSD.
How do you plan to more effectively involve the community with the district?
From my own experience, I know that there are extremely dedicated families, volunteers and staff in this district and I want to find ways to more actively involve them in policy decisions. This could be through town meetings, board listening sessions, one-on-one contacts, and through more communication electronically and in print. Personally, I will be going out in the community attending PTA meetings and school events, as well as with meeting with community members to better hear directly from the residents.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com.
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