School Board Vacancies
The Highline School Board will appoint two new members to fill the board seats representing District 4 and 5.
The new directors for District 4 and District 5 will serve until the directors elected in the November 2025 election take their oath.
- District 4 represents the communities of Normandy Park and portions of the North Hill neighborhood and City of SeaTac.
- District 5 represents the southernmost portion of the district, primarily in the city of Des Moines.
Appointment Process
The appointment process is guided by state law and Highline Board Policy 1114 and Procedure 1114.
For information about the responsibilities of board directors, please review School Board Policy and Procedure Series 1000, particularly 1005, 1220, 1610, and 1620.
District 4
During the March 5 board meeting, the board narrowed the candidate pool to three finalists for District 4—Damarys Espinoza, Kenneth Kemp and Carlos Ruiz. Following the meeting, Mr. Ruiz withdrew from consideration, leaving two finalists.
Ms. Espinoza and Mr. Kemp will participate in a second round of public interviews on March 15 at 11:30 a.m. in the Central Office Building located at 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW Burien, WA 98166. It is open to the public, livestreamed and recorded.
Each District 4 candidate will answer questions and have an opportunity to ask the board questions.
District 5
On March 5, the School Board also voted to reopen the application window for District 5 after two candidates withdrew before the first round of interviews. The board sought to ensure a diverse range of perspectives in the selection process.
The application was reopened for one week. Two candidates applied and accepted invitations to interview:
- Megan Demeroutis
- Blaine Holien
Ms. Demeroutis and Mr. Holien’s interviews will take place on March 15 at approximately 12:00 p.m., immediately following the District 4 interviews. in the Central Office Building located at 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW Burien, WA 98166. It is open to the public, livestreamed and recorded.
Each District 5 candidate will answer questions and have an opportunity to ask the board questions.
Appointment Process
The School Board expects to vote on the new board members during the March 19 board meeting. Those appointed will take their oaths of office on a future date that will be communicated.
The new board members will serve until those elected in the November 2025 election take their oaths.
Board Expectations for New Members
Newly appointed board members are expected to attend all school board meetings listed on the district calendar, and be available for additional meetings as needed, including any schedule adjustments.
Background Information
Following the resignation of two board members in January and an open application process that drew 13 applicants from the community—eight for District 4 and five for District 5—demonstrating strong local engagement.
After review, the board advanced five candidates per district to the first round of interviews on February 26. Prior to the first round of interviews, two candidates for district 5 withdrew their names from consideration.
During the March 5 board meeting, the board narrowed the candidate pool to three finalists for District 4. The board also voted to re-open the application window for District 5 in order to hear from more perspectives after two candidates withdrew from the process before the first round of public interviews.
District News Articles about Appointment Process
- March 13: Board Candidate Interviews Scheduled for March 15
- March 5: School Board Reopens District 5 Applications & Selects 3 Finalists for District 4
- February 21: 10 School Board Candidates Advance to Interview
- January 28: School Board Seat Openings: Districts 4 & 5
- January 23: School Board Resignation