Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle School Board Elections 2017 - District V

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle School Board Elections 2017 - District V:

Seattle School Board Elections 2017 - District V

Editor's Note: please see this thread for my process for vetting candidates.

District V 

The candidates who filed for this position are/were:

• Omar Vasquez
• Andre Helmstetter
• Candace Vaivadas
• Zachary Pullin DeWolf
• Alec Cooper
• Michelle Sarju Withdrawn

For District V, I recommend (in no particular order) Andre Helmstetter and Alec Cooper.  I do think Zachary DeWolf has an excellent background in public service but probably doesn't know the district well enough.  Cooper and Helmstetter do.  Again, my concern is the learning curve it takes to be a director.  

I confess I find it hard to pick as all three each have different strengths.  I look forward to hearing them speak at forums between now and the primary.  

Cooper is a straight-ahead, blunt candidate who wants to get things done.  Personally, I find that very appealing.  He would an analytical skill set to the Board.  He is an SPS parent.

Helmstetter has an inviting demeanor and warmth and is a good listener.  His skill set includes being a trained facilitator as well as his job working with groups/companies to sharpen/clean-up their operations and policies.  He is an SPS parent.

Zachary DeWolf is the most soft-spoken but with a drive to serve and help better communities as he has done for  years.  His work at the Seattle Housing Authority means that he knows issues around housing problems for low-income families.  This is knowledge and understanding that would be worthwhile to bring to the Board.  


Helmstetter, DeWolf, Cooper and Vasquez have filed with the PDC; only DeWolf has contributions.  

I interviewed all the candidates in person for this race except Vaivadas, who I do not believe is qualified for the position based on her 36th Dems interview, and Vasquez, who despite claiming he did want to interview with me, has suddenly gone silent and not answered queries.  More on him below but upfront I will say he is the last person I would want to see come out of the primary. 


District V

Alec Cooper
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He did know the answers to my two questions about SPS.  He has two Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle School Board Elections 2017 - District V: