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VOTE411 Voter Guide

Issaquah School District No. 411 Director District No. 2

No Salary, some districts offer small per diem for evening meetings. School Board Members are the elected governing body of the school district, with responsibilities that fall in four major areas: Vision – focuses the work on student achievement through a comprehensive strategic planning process; Structure – provides prudent financial planning and oversight; diligent and innovative policymaking; Accountability – sets specific goals and a process for evaluation, reporting and recommendations for improvements; and Advocacy – champions public education in the local community and before state and federal policy makers. The School Board sets the general policies of the district.

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  • Candidate picture

    Natalie Anderson
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Darren Cheung
    (NP)

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    Lovenia Hardin
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Jarrod Huffaker
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Chinmay Nagarkar
    (NP)

Biographical Information

How should schools regulate cell phone use during school?

What would be your approach to dealing with a financial deficit in your school district?

What are your priorities for allocating available funds?

How can school districts improve transparency and communication with parents and the community?

Phone 2063718939
Email electnatalieanderson@gmail.com
Town where you live Renton
Experience (300 characters max) Active volunteer at Maple Hills Elementary for 5 years and part of the PTA for the last 2 years, working as Director of Ongoing Programs. Chaired events such as Science Fair Week, WATCH D.O.G.S., Eagle Reader Clubhouse, Silent Auction, and served as an Art Docent for 5 years.
While it is not solely up to the Issaquah School Board to dictate how each school regulates cell phone use, a new district-wide policy has been implemented for high schools. This policy requires that during classroom instruction; cell phones must be silenced and stowed—this includes hallways and common areas while class is in session. However, students are permitted to use their phones before and after school, during passing periods, and at lunch. Importantly, the policy allows individual schools and classrooms flexibility to manage how it is enforced, which I believe is a strength. I support this policy because it strikes a healthy balance: it minimizes distractions during learning time while still allowing students to stay connected during appropriate times. This approach supports student well-being and academic focus without being overly restrictive.
The Issaquah School District is not currently operating under a financial deficit. However, if the district were to face a financial deficit in the future, addressing it would require a balanced, transparent, and community-focused approach. First would be to thoroughly assess and understand the nature and causes. From there, it would be essential to engage stakeholders, including staff, families, and community members to ensure that decisions reflect shared values and priorities. The district would need to prioritize spending to protect core academic programs and student services, identify cost-saving measures, and explore additional revenue options such as grants or community partnerships. Ultimately, the goal would be to develop a strategic plan that addresses the financial shortfall while maintaining the quality of education and student support services.
When allocating available funds in the Issaquah School District, my top priority would be to support student success and well-being while maintaining fiscal responsibility. This includes investing in high-quality instructional programs, updated curriculum, and professional development for educators to ensure academic excellence. I would also prioritize student support services such as counseling, mental health resources, and special education to meet diverse needs. Maintaining safe, inclusive, and well-equipped learning environments is essential, as is ensuring equitable access to technology and digital learning tools. Additionally, I would support initiatives that strengthen family and community engagement, including after-school programs and partnerships with local organizations. Finally, I would focus on operational efficiency and long-term sustainability to ensure that resources are used wisely and effectively.
The Issaquah School District is already doing an excellent job balancing communication and transparency with their weekly bulletin emails, maintaining an active presence on social media and their website, and sharing recorded Board meetings and a video podcast on the district’s YouTube channel as well as hosting regular Town Halls to address public comments and foster open dialogue. However, the ongoing challenge lies in encouraging more community members to engage with the information being shared—whether by reading emails, watching videos, or attending events. To strengthen an already strong communication strategy, the district could consider implementing more interactive events, using personalized communication tools like text messaging apps, and offering regular polls or digital suggestion boxes to gather feedback. Strengthening PTSAs and advisory councils through training or workshops could also empower parents to become more active advocates for their schools.
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Mailing Address PO Box 2572
Renton, WA 98059
Phone (206) 407-8536
Email votechinmay@gmail.com
YouTube Video https://youtu.be/zX6VGj3lNMM?si=H9WC8MvwwZ14DuFA
Town where you live Newcastle
Experience (300 characters max) Parent special needs and gifted kids. Education: MS, EE, Stanford University, USA. Taught computer science (Bellevue High), judge & mentor at WA Science Olympiad (2025), youth soccer coach. 25 year track record in high tech (Amazon/Google). Currently, a Senior Program Manager, Google, Inc.
We need a balanced approach. Cell phones are a major source of distraction during class, and I support policies that limit their use during instructional time. At the same time, I believe students should be able to access their phones before and after school and during lunch, especially for communication with family. Enforcement should be consistent, respectful, and focused on keeping students engaged in learning—not punitive or arbitrary. Ultimately, classroom focus must be restored so all students, especially those who are struggling, have the best chance to succeed.
We must start by restoring public trust. Many voters have lost faith in how the district spends money, and that’s why recent bonds have failed. My first step would be a top-to-bottom audit of spending vs results, starting with administrative costs and capital projects. I believe in prioritizing the classroom, not bureaucracy or construction. Any deficit plan must focus on preserving direct services to students, including Gifted Programs, Special Education, and Career & Technical Education (CTE), while cutting waste and deferring nonessential expenses. Transparency and community involvement in the budgeting process are critical.
My top priority is getting students prepared for higher education or for a career in the trades, whatever their preference. That means spending more directly on students and teachers. We need to focus our investments in foundational subjects: Math, Science, English, and Career & Technical Education (CTE) for students with different talents and aptitudes. All students are special in some way, and we need to better support overlooked groups, such as gifted learners and CTE, which got about 0.5% and 3% of the general fund in the 2023-2024 budget, compared to > 10% for district admin. Finally, we must modernize classroom technology and ensure safe, well-maintained facilities. But no matter the category, the guiding principle must be value for taxpayer dollars and demonstrate impact on student success.
7 of 10 voters in the district do not presently have kids in school but pay taxes, and 1 of 3 school-age children are either homeschooled or attend private schools. We need to treat parents and taxpayers as executive partners, not donors and cheerleaders. Failing that, we risk serious harm to the district, and the most vulnerable kids will suffer the impact. I support publishing school-level budget summaries, academic outcome reports, and curriculum overviews in plain language that busy parents can actually understand. The 30-minute public comment period at Board meetings must be fully utilized with relaxed time limits (currently fixed at 2 minutes) when only a few members of the public want to speak. If elected, I will also push for (a) two non-voting parents on the board (like we have done with students) who bring diverse perspectives, and (b) a dashboard of metrics that the public can use to track spending, academic outcomes, and district performance for the top areas of spending.