[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by a verified Burien resident. It represents the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media or its staff.]

Dear Editor and Highline Community,

Last Tuesday, I attended the Highline School board candidates’ forum. Unfortunately, the incumbent Board Directors, Joe Van and Angelic Alvarez, were unable to attend. School Board Director Dr. Damarys Espinoza was in attendance, as was her opponent, Kenneth Kemp. Katie Kresly and Sue-Anne Hohimer were also in attendance.

It was clear to me that Mr. Kemp, Mrs. Kresly, and Mrs. Hohimer are not familiar with what happens in the classroom, nor do they understand the needs of the young people our district serves. There were many comments suggesting that we need to return to teaching math, language arts, and science, provide less social-emotional support, and focus on the basics. These candidates often highlighted how our schools are failing and cited test scores as evidence of their accusations. A Google search of the OSPI report card of the Highline School District shows otherwise. A quick statistic from the OSPI report card: 82.4% of the class of 2024 graduated on time. It is also worth noting that 37.9% of the students in the Highline School District are multilingual learners, and 67.8% of them come from low-income backgrounds. It is important to note these statistics because they have been shown to impact testing scores. Dr. Espinoza discussed growth over time and shared that our young people are experiencing significant academic growth.

Dr. Espinoza shared a variety of options to bring the community together to support students and their families. She shared her vision for students in our schools, that we help them thrive by providing them with the support they need. She also reminded the audience (and the other candidates) that the school board’s job is to supervise the superintendent. While Dr. Espinoza spoke of hope and community, the other candidates shared veiled racism and accusations of the failure of our schools, offering no real solutions other than “returning to basics”. Mrs. Hohimer repeatedly commented on patriotism and that 2026 is the semiquincentennial. Mr. Kemp expressed the need for teaching rather than managing the classroom. Mrs. Kresley shared that her focus would be on transparency.

I encourage our community to review the OSPI report card linked in this letter, talk with educators, and reach out to current board members to gain a better understanding of the Highline School District’s growth. Additionally, the Highline Education Association has endorsed Board Directors Dr. Espinoza, Mr. Van, and Mrs. Alvarez. School Board elections matter, and that is why I encourage you to vote for board directors Dr. Damarys Espinoza, Joe Van & Angelica Alvarez.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Fichamba
Educator, Burien Resident, and alum of the Highline School District

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