The Board of Directors for Seattle Public Schools voted this afternoon to appoint Brandon Hersey to the position of Director, District VII, for the SPS Board of Directors.
The appointment follows a process, which included two public forums, that began almost immediately after the July 1, 2019 retirement of former Director Betty Patu.
Director Hersey was sworn in at today’s regular school board meeting. The swearing-in immediately followed the vote of the sitting board.
After being sworn in, Director Hersey joined his new colleagues on the dais as the board continued its regularly scheduled meeting.
“Thank you to all the families, educators, and District VII community members who have supported me throughout this process,” said Hersey. “I am excited to continue working with you all in the pursuit of making our school district a better place for all kids, especially those furthest away from educational justice.”
Director Hersey was one of three finalists for the position who were voted on by the sitting board. The finalists — Director Hersey, Emijah Smith, and Julie van Arcken, — were among the 12 people who submitted applications for the post by the July 28, 2019 deadline.
“We are thrilled to welcome Director Hersey as a colleague to the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors,” said Board President Leslie Harris. “This process has shined the light on how many exceptionally gifted people want to assist the 53,000 students in Seattle and its taxpaying base, and were willing to provide their talents, time, and heart to this important job. We had a wealth of candidates and we have enormous respect for each and every one that applied.”
Director Hersey will serve on the board for the remainder of the term, which concludes with the November 2021 election. Director Hersey may choose to run for the position in the 2021 election cycle.
As for the appointment process, President Harris noted, “Though seemingly slow, it was one of the most transparent appointment processes in the history of this state. The Directors take their statutory duties very seriously and thank the District VII community and the district staff for assisting in this effort.”
“We are very grateful for all the candidates’ interest in and engagement with Seattle Public Schools,” said SPS Superintendent Denise Juneau. “They all deserve a big “thank you” and Director Hersey will receive the district’s full support as he takes on this very challenging and extremely important job.”
