Warden schools are redistricting

WARDEN — The Warden School District is reducing their district to include three director districts and two at-large positions.

The district previously had four director districts and one at-large position. Residents voted for the change in the 2009 November election.

“What we have done is hire Sammamish Data Systems Incorporated from Bellevue to take a look at the population of our area,” said superintendent Sandra Sheldon. “After taking a look at our area, they divide the districts up evenly between the three representatives and the two at-large representatives.”

An at-large representative can live anywhere within the school district area. The specific district numbers represent a certain area of the district and representatives are required to live in that area.

“We still have five board members,” Sheldon said. “What we have done is to simply open up the opportunity for anyone to apply, despite where they live in Warden.”

Sheldon said the Warden School District isn’t large enough to require a representative to live in each district area.

“In a district or size, it’s just not a big deal as it is in other, larger districts,” Sheldon said. “In the larger districts, if a citizen has a concern, they take it to the director of their specific district. Here, they can go to any of the board members easily.”

The last election caused the board members to step forward with the decision to redistrict.

“In the last board election, some residents wanted to run for a position, but couldn’t because they didn’t live in the district that had an open position,” she said. “This just opens it ups so there can be more participation from our constituents here in the district.”

Sheldon believes the change encourages more community participation.

“I think this will cause a little more interest for community members to be a part of the board and will give more variety in who wants to run,” she said.