CHIMACUM — The Chimacum School Board will act on the resignation of board member Cammy Brown in its meeting this week and then start the search for someone to fill her seat for the remainder of her term.
Brown resigned her position for personal family reasons via letter Oct. 12.
The school board will act on her resignation Wednesday, which Brown said would be her last meeting.
“This is bittersweet for me,” said Brown. “My family is the most important, but leaving the board wasn’t a decision I took lightly, but it was necessary.”
Brown was first elected to the school board in 2001 and then appointed in 2007, representing Chimacum’s District 2.
However, her three children went to Chimacum School, so she has been involved with the district since 1983.
“All my children graduated from here,” said Brown. “They are all very successful now, so that says something about Chimacum Schools.”
Her children graduated from Chimacum High School in 1996, 1999 and 2003.
As a parent, she rebooted the district’s PTA and was an active volunteer for school events. She said she ran for school board in order to continue making a difference.
“I wanted to be an elected official and serve my community,” said Brown. “It does take time and it does take commitment, but I do have a passion for education.”
Along with her position on the school board, Brown was also on the board for the local YMCA and a member of the Washington State Foundation for School Board Members, and is the legislative representative for the Chimacum School District Board of Directors.
Brown said some of her proudest moments as a member of the Chimacum School Board was representing the small district in Olympia and Washington, D.C., ensuring the education needs of small districts were met.
“When I got on the board, I thought I knew what to do and how to do it,” said Brown. “There was a bit of a learning curve there, but I think it was important for our district to be involved on that level.”
With Brown stepping down, the district will open applications to fill her seat for the remaining year of her term.
Applicants must live in District 2, which is roughly the Irondale area, according to Chimacum School District Superintendent Rick Thompson.
Thompson said applications will be available online after the Wednesday meeting, and those interested will be able to submit applications for roughly a month.
“We won’t be posting anything until the board acts on her resignation,” said Thompson. “We also want people to have time to apply, so we’re anticipating having it open for a month or so.”
Current school board members will then go through the applications and appoint someone to fill Brown’s spot, which won’t be an easy task, according to Thompson.
“I just commend her for her selfless service,” Thompson said. “She always kept the Chimacum students in the forefront of her thinking. She’s just the epitome of public service.”
Brown said being on the school board wasn’t easy, but she felt it was a way for her to make a difference in the lives of students.
“It’s a big responsibility to be on the school board,” said Brown. “Some decisions you make aren’t popular, but I always, whenever we made decisions, I would bring it back and focus on what’s best for the students. If it’s good for the students, it’s good for the district.”
The District 2 seat will be up for election next year, so if the new appointee chooses to continue serving on the board, he or she will have to file by May 2017.
Applications will be available on the district website at www.csd49.org.
District boundaries are outlined at www.csd49.org/content/36.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
