As an employee of the Tahoma School District for over 40 years, I have experienced many school board elections without taking a public position on an individual candidate. In retirement, however, I find myself in a different position and have made the decision to publicly support one of the candidates for Position 3 on the Tahoma School District Board of Directors, Mary Jane Glaser.

I respect anyone who chooses to run for these important positions and have had the good fortune to work directly with multiple school board members. In my experience, Mary Jane has been and continues to be an exemplary school board member. I believe the following characteristics contribute to her success and influence on our quality school system.

Commitment – Mary Jane cares about young people and gives the time and energy necessary to understand the issues. All board members give of their time, but in my experience none have contributed as much time as Mary Jane. She does this through her school board participation at meetings and on district committees as well as through her contributions in multiple community organizations. She reads the school board packets, asks clarifying questions, and is always prepared to contribute her thinking at meetings.

Knowledge and Experience – Mary Jane understands the role of the board in establishing policy, direction, and monitoring progress. She has been a voice for our school system at the local, state, and federal level serving on multiple state level committees working on issues and advocating for public education with members of the state legislature. She has working knowledge of state financing for public schools, school district budgeting, school construction, and the impact of state and national curriculum and assessment reforms on our system.

Team – Mary Jane understands the importance of working as a team and has the knowledge and skill to contribute in a leadership position and as a team member. She contributes her thinking while being open to being influenced by the thinking of others and supports decisions that are made by the team.

Mary Jane brings passion and commitment to meeting the responsibilities of a school board member. She is an advocate for involvement of students and parents in important system decisions and is a critical member of our “Future Ready” team. She has my vote to continue as a member of the team providing leadership in our school system.

Mike Maryanski
Maple Valley