Two Highline school board members resign; district to announce vacancy process

The Highline School District board on Jan. 22 acknowledged written resignations from two directors and said it will publicly share a process to fill the resulting vacancy for District 5.

Board President Villam announced the district had received a written resignation from “Director Hagos” that was effective immediately and said the board would discuss the resignation at its next regularly scheduled meeting per district policy 11-14. Later in the meeting, Director Petrini delivered a public statement and announced she was resigning “as of this moment.” President Villam confirmed receipt of Petrini’s written resignation and said the board would share information about filling the vacancy.

The board did not take a roll-call vote to accept either resignation; President Villam cited district policy 11-14 and described the action as an acknowledgment of receipt. Superintendent Dr. Duran thanked Director Hagos for her service, and Director Petrini used her time to describe reasons for stepping down, including concerns about board culture and accountability. Petrini said she had “appreciated the few souls” who treated her with dignity and that she would continue to engage in other capacities.

The board said it will publish details about the appointment process for the District 5 vacancy and encouraged interested residents to watch district notices for next steps. No timetable was given in the meeting for when the appointment process would begin or conclude.

The board’s acknowledgment followed the district’s stated policy 11-14 procedure, which requires that a director’s written resignation be discussed at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The board did not vote on any interim appointments during the Jan. 22 session.

Residents can expect the district to publish formal instructions and deadlines for submitting interest in the vacant seat; no dates were specified at the Jan. 22 meeting.