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Phone
(425) 310-9600
Email
devinfortsd@gmail.com
Town where you live
Maple Valley
Experience (300 characters max)
I’m a strategic leader with deep experience in corporate marketing operations, early childhood education, and community engagement. I’ve advised on curriculum development, expanded gifted programs, led mental health advocacy with NAMI Seattle, and shaped campaign messaging.
Schools should adopt a bell-to-bell policy: personal devices are off and stored in teacher-managed secure pouches or boxes during instructional time. Exceptions include emergencies, medical needs, IEP/504 accommodations, and other special circumstances approved via parent application and administrative review.
Students may access phones in designated zones at lunch and passing periods, or with teacher permission for lesson activities.
Developed with input from educators, parents, and students, this approach minimizes distractions while ensuring essential communication and support for safety and mental health.
First, we'd launch a transparent budget review with a task force of staff, parents, board members, and community partners. We'd build a multi-year financial forecast to anticipate funding shifts and align spending with our core educational priorities.
On the cost side, we'd apply integrated curriculum financial planning to evaluate staffing, contracts, and non-essential expenses, identifying efficiencies without cutting key programs.
To bolster revenue, we'd aggressively pursue grants, levy measures, public-private partnerships, energy-efficiency rebates, and service-sharing agreements.
Finally, we'd establish regular financial monitoring and open communication to maintain trust and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability while protecting student services
My priorities for allocating district funds focus on equity, safety, and maximizing learning for every student:
1. Student safety & mental health
Invest in proven, preventative anti-bullying programs, expand counseling staff, and strengthen social-emotional supports.
2. Staff resources & development
Fund ongoing professional learning, intervention specialists, and up-to-date classroom materials.
3. Inclusive education supports
Expand IEP/504 services by training all staff in differentiated instruction and hiring special-education professionals certified for specific needs such as Autism.
4. Advanced & career-ready programs
Grow the Highly Capable Program, dual-enrollment partnerships, and career & technical education pathways.
5. Class-size reduction & facilities
Allocate resources for additional teachers or modular classrooms to relieve overcrowding.
6. Arts & enrichment
Secure sustainable funding for music, art, drama, and extracurriculars that foster creativity and engagement.
Districts can build trust by making information timely, clear, and two-way:
1. Centralize updates on a public website or app — post board agendas, budgets, staffing changes, test-score trends, and facility plans.
2. Use multiple channels (email, texts, social media, printed newsletters) on a regular schedule and translate materials for non-English speakers.
3. Offer regular feedback loops — parent and student surveys, listening tours, virtual town halls, and office hours with administrators.
4. Create standing parent, student, and community advisory groups to co-design messaging and policies.
5. Streamline alerts for emergencies and policy changes with clear "what, why, next" explanations.
Phone
(503)729-3927
Email
retainninarose@gmail.com
Town where you live
Black Diamond
Experience (300 characters max)
I serve because I care deeply about our students, our educators, and the families who call Tahoma home. As a mom, veteran, and longtime volunteer, I lead with heart—listening, learning, and standing up for strong academics, safe schools, and a community that feels heard.
As a mom with two students (9th & 2nd grade) in our schools, I believe in structure, service, and student-first leadership.
For elementary kids, phones should be off and put away during class. Older students can have more flexibility—but they still need to be held accountable.
Tahoma High School uses cell phone lock boxes in classrooms. I’ve spoken with students who had no problem turning in their phones at the start of class and getting them back when class ended. For them, it’s just part of the routine—and it works.
Districts like Bellevue and Tri-Cities are facing real consequences from budget shortfalls—and working families are feeling the impact. We can’t let that happen here.
We must cut from the top, not classrooms. Review overhead before touching programs that serve kids. Be open and honest about the numbers, and what they mean for families and staff.
I’ll focus collectively as a team with our School Board on protecting student outcomes while planning responsibly—prioritizing strong academics, support services, and safe schools.
And we must engage the community, not just to inform—but to find solutions. Through creativity, partnerships, and listening, we can do hard things together.
We start by funding what directly supports student success and a healthy school climate.
That means supporting teachers with fair pay, classroom resources, and meaningful professional development.
We must invest in mental health and safety for both students and staff—ensuring our schools are not only physically safe, but emotionally supportive places to work and learn.
Early literacy and reading interventions must remain a priority, along with academic enrichment like arts, STEM, and after-school programs that keep students inspired and engaged.
These aren’t extras. They’re essentials.
We start by building trust through consistent, two-way communication. That means holding regular town halls where families can ask questions, share concerns, and feel heard.
We should use plain, accessible language—not just formal reports or PDFs. Communication should reflect the community it serves: timely, translated when needed, and delivered across the platforms families actually use.
Districts must also show their progress—what’s working, what’s not, and what we’re doing about it. Accountability dashboards and real-time updates help everyone stay informed and aligned.
We’re listening. But more than that, families want to see action. That means clear next steps, visible results, and strong follow-through.
Every Student. Every Voice. Every Step Forward.
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