President-elect Candidate Carl R. Johnson

Carl R. Johnson has been a member of the Central Kitsap School Board for 11 years. He has served as Board President, Vice President and Legislative Representative, and has served on several board committees. Johnson currently serves on WSSDA’s Student Achievement Task Force and Annual Conference Planning Committee. Other WSSDA service includes Legislative Committee. Johnson is an active member of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools and the Military Impacted School Association. He has attended National School Boards Association annual conferences and has served as an ex-officio member of the Linder Educational Foundation board for several years. Johnson is Past President of the Central Kitsap Community Council, member of the Central Kitsap Citizens Advisory Committee (on the issue of urban growth for Silverdale), President of Kitsap Outreach, Inc., and member of the board of the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce.

Candidate Statement:

I am honored to have my name submitted by the WSSDA Nominating Committee for the position of President-elect. For the past 11 years I have been privileged to not only serve as a member of the Central Kitsap School Board, but to also be an active participant in the many facets of WSSDA’s training and development programs. Having been involved with the staff, officers and association members on various committees, workshops and classes, as well as working with WSSDA’s consultant services, I have come to recognize the dedication and professionalism that is pervasive throughout this organization. And, it’s because of these qualities and high standards that I desire to serve as your President-elect.

During these past 11 years, I’ve come to appreciate the complexities and challenges facing public education today, and especially the fiscal, academic and strategic planning responsibilities of being a school board director. I believe that through this position I can help promote and foster awareness of the wonderful resources available to school board directors (through WSSDA) in order to assist us in our daunting task of school district governance.

In addition to the stated mission of "promoting student learning by ensuring that school board members have the knowledge, tools and services they need to effectively govern their districts and champion public education," which I believe is being accomplished through the multi-faceted programs and services offered through WSSDA, it is my "VISION" that this organization also take the lead in promoting and fostering a meaningful dialogue of how to restructure education to better equip students for the future.

Much like the recently established Student Achievement Task Force (which I’m pleased to serve on), I would like to see a similar "task force" established to focus on this important topic. While we must never neglect our guiding principles of 1) Student Learning and Achievement and 2) Effective Governance, the time has come for WSSDA to engage its members in the "future of education" debate. Rather than sit back and be observers and bystanders, it would be my vision to have school board directors engaged in local, regional and statewide forums designed to craft a public "report of recommendations" pertaining to the restructuring of public education to meet the educational mandate of a global economy.

Prior to being elected to my school district director position, I spent 25 years in senior management positions in the financial industry and was an instructor in the Institute of Financial Education. I have also served as President for three years of the Central Kitsap Community Council, which represents over 70,000 citizens living in the unincorporated area of Central Kitsap. I am the founder and President of Kitsap Outreach, Inc., a non-profit corporation whose purpose is to develop moral and ethical leadership among the citizens of Kitsap County. And earlier this year, after completing a rigorous training program and passing a comprehensive examination administered by the Society of Certified Senior Advisors, I earned the Certified Senior Advisor® (CSA) designation, which allows me to counsel seniors in all aspects of their health, financial and social issues.

With these past and present life experiences in education, community and business leadership positions, I believe that I am prepared and equipped to serve you and our association as we work together for the future of our children.