Dear Editor,

I am writing in support of Gwendy Gabelein for the South Whidbey School Board, position 5. I’ve been a local real estate agent on South Whidbey for 11 years, and I graduated from SWSD as well. All four of my kids have gone through, or are currently attending SWSD, so I know the needs and the concerns of parents and students firsthand.

One concern among parents is that our current school board meets in an echo chamber with the same ideas, while not being open to outside voices. Many parents aren’t represented at all. Gwendy is the people’s voice-she represents those least heard, especially when it comes to special ed. Gwendy has attended almost every school board meeting for the last decade, advocating for her son and the betterment of our schools. She is fiercely dedicated to improving our schools and ensuring the community feels heard. She has also been my friend since high school, and I have helped her buy and sell 5 properties. This means I know her on a personal and professional level. Real estate deals can be stressful, and she always remained calm, logical, and level-headed.

With her years of knowledge and school board attendance, I know she’d step right into this position seamlessly. I appreciate her focus on teacher support because we cannot have strong schools without it. I welcome her promise to bring financial transparency and responsibility to the board. We should demand clear accounting: if, like the school board says, enrichment programs like sports can’t be funded. We need a fresh voice and new energy on the school board.

If we want the board to sound like us, vote for Gwendy.

Jen Knox