The Everett School District Board of Directors appointed Anne Marie Lawrence to the unexpired term for board director Position 3 at a May 1, 2025, special meeting, voting 3-1 after interviewing five finalists and holding an executive session.

The board convened the special meeting to conduct finalist interviews for the vacancy left by Director Caroline Mason; finalists included Jeff Doan, Ryan Webber, Anne Marie Lawrence, Kurt Littlebridge and Demi Chatters. After the public interviews the board recessed into executive session to discuss candidate qualifications and then returned for a public roll call and appointment vote.

The board secretary polled members in public. Directors Revolinski, Herman and President Mitchell voted to appoint Anne Marie Lawrence; Director Adkins voted for Demi Chatters. The secretary announced the appointment of Lawrence to serve until the regular 2025 election. The board said the appointment follows the district’s advertised process of finalist interviews followed by deliberation in executive session and a public vote.

The meeting record shows several community members spoke during the public comment period in favor of Demi Chatters. Janice Green told the board she had seen Chatters’ community work and said, “I really support demi. I’ve watched her over the years. She’s worked with the Human Rights Commission, the planning commission … always supportive.” Paula Ryan urged the board to consider representation on the dais and said, “I urge you to support, support her appointment and help us create a brighter future for all students lucky enough to be part of the Everett School District.”

After the appointment was announced Director Adkins expressed public dissent from the majority decision, saying, “I’m deeply disappointed by this decision. I think that we have a responsibility, to ensure that we’re here for all kids in the district. And with over 60% of our kids in of kids in our district being kids of color, it just it it does not sit right with me to have me, a white passing mixed race man, be the only representation they have on this board.”

Board members described the process as the standard sequence used for filling vacancies: public interviews, executive session deliberation on qualifications, then a public roll-call appointment. Candidates were each given three minutes per question and ten minutes for their own questions of the board during the interview portion; the board then recessed for an executive session (the board indicated the executive session was extended to complete deliberations) and returned to make its public selection.

Lawrence indicated during her interview that she supports public education funding and cited the state’s McCleary decision and the state constitution’s priority for K-12 education when discussing broad funding context, and several candidates discussed capital bonds, levies and financial pressures facing the district. The board noted the appointed director will hold the seat until voters choose a representative at the regular 2025 election and that the appointee will be expected to decide whether to enter the upcoming filing period for that election.

The board meeting record shows the district followed open-meeting procedures: interviews were held in public, and deliberations on qualifications were moved to executive session as permitted; the public vote and the poll of board members occurred on the record. The board adjourned following the appointment.

Meeting materials and the district website list the district’s strategic priorities and the board’s role in setting governance policy; speakers during the interviews and comment period referenced those priorities when discussing equity, student supports and capital funding.