CAMANO: Q&A: School board hopefuls outline priorities for students, families

The Stanwood Camano News reports on the Stanwood-Camano School Board election. Read the whole story.

The Stanwood Camano News sent the same set of questions to each candidate in local races and gave each of them the same deadline to send in answers.

Ballots will be mailed Oct. 16 in Snohomish County and Oct. 17 in Island County.

They Said It

Stanwood-Camano School Board Position 1

Hans Hendricksen

Why did you decide to run for election?

As a father of a young student in our school district, I felt that the board should include more members that have children in the schools.

To know that, the board must consider their decisions on how it affects all students, including their own.

It brings a higher level of responsibility to the position.

What is the biggest issue you hope to address if elected?

I would like to see less news about the Stanwood-Camano School Board. The headlines should be about successes of the students and the schools that the board helped create opportunities for.

Supporting the superintendent and making informed decisions to empower the schools for success in all ways will be my priority.

How will you stay engaged with the community and ensure their voices are heard and reflected in your work?

Having a child in the district and being active in community activities has me available to other parents often.

I will continue to be available around the community, as well as electronically, to be sure that all members of the community can reach me easily. I feel that trust is built when stakeholders are informed, included, and heard.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

I have been a homeowner in Stanwood for 13 years.

Myself and a few friends did the planning and installation of the Church Creek Park Disc Golf course.

That project involved working with the city, local businesses, and groups like the Boy Scouts. It helped clean up the public space all the way back to the creek, which at the time was prone to drug use, and allowed for more foot traffic back into the park, which made a park directly across the street from our high school notably safer for use by the whole community.

John Russell

Why did you decide to run for election?

I have been a longtime advocate for the students in our district. I firmly believe that every student deserves a chance to shine.

To make that happen, it is our responsibility as a school board to provide a safe and secure learning environment.

From those who may struggle to our high achievers, access must remain consistent and applied equally.

What is the biggest issue you hope to address if elected?

Board decisions should always evaluate the impact on students. This can be a challenge, as sometimes political influences can create situations where students may feel marginalized or even unsafe.

There is a reason that this position is non-partisan. I’m confident that our board makeup will be able to further move in that direction.

How will you stay engaged with the community and ensure their voices are heard and reflected in your work?

I am fairly active in the community, and I feel I am fairly approachable. I don’t see that changing once elected.

I also feel like I am a product of our district’s openness to input. I have served on many advisory committees to the district over the last 20-plus years. These were advisories formed by the board or superintendent to seek advice from the community.

I’m proud of the products generated from those committees, culminating in getting a new high school built.

I am a strong proponent that parent, business, teacher, and citizen stakeholders need the ability to give advice to our district. I would push for those to continue and value their reports.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

I have been very active in our local community. I see serving in this capacity as one more chapter in my advocacy for our district and our Stanwood-Camano Community.

Stanwood-Camano School Board Position 2

Charlotte Murry

Why did you decide to run for election?

I am running for reelection because I believe there is so much more advocacy that I can do for our students and staff.

I see a silver lining of possibility as we get back to a board that is focused on students.

I have been investing my time learning best practices of school board directors, taking WSSDA’s nine-month leadership course, and other classes as available.

During that time, I have seen what can be accomplished when a school district has a board that is aligned and focused on student success. This hope is what drives me to run for another term.

What is the biggest issue you hope to address if elected?

As one of five board members, it is my hope that we, as a board, can decide collectively on an initiative that will serve our students and work together to achieve that goal.

We, as a board, should be showing how leaders work together. I believe it is important for our students, staff and community to see that it is possible, even when we don’t always agree.

How will you stay engaged with the community and ensure their voices are heard and reflected in your work?

I make every effort to make myself available to all that want to talk about our district, as I do spend a lot of time in the community, and there is always email and phone.

I am open to hearing different perspectives. It is when we are not willing to actively listen to differences that we miss out on the extraordinary. I realize that sounds cliché, but we do not learn, grow or evolve unless we open ourselves to difference and/or new ideas.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

I am here to support our students, staff, families and community. And I fully believe that a public education prepares students for the future of their choice!

On the Ballot in November 2025