At its regular meeting on February 12, the Camas School Board accepted the resignations of board members Julie Rotz and Casey O'Dell with heavy hearts--each indicating the reasons for their resignations were related to new job opportunities.
Rotz and her family are relocating to Florida where her husband recently accepted a new job.
"I feel honored and privileged to have served as a member of the board for the past eight years," Rotz said. During this time, it has been a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to work alongside my fellow board members in support of such an outstanding team of administrators, staff, and teachers who make up our district," Rotz said. "I admire their dedication to bringing excellence in education to all our students."
Rotz joined the board in 2009, filling the position left vacant when longtime board member Mel Cardon retired after 30 plus years on the board.
"I knew Mel through our church and he encouraged me to run for the position. He thought the work of the board would be a good fit for me. I was fairly new to the community, had a young family and wanted to get involved in Camas schools. I had no idea it would be so fulfilling or how much I had to learn!" Rotz commented.
O'Dell accepted a new job at the Port of Vancouver in October 2017. He indicated that in his new position, he's finding it challenging to give his role on the school board the time and dedication it deserves.
"This decision was very hard for me. I've lived and worked my entire life here in Camas and my time on the school board has been an unforgettable experience," O'Dell commented. "I'm going to miss all the talented people in the district who work so hard to help our students succeed. I'll also miss attending graduation ceremonies at Camas High School and Hayes Freedom High School. Experiencing these culminating events as a board member is incredibly rewarding," he added.
O'Dell joined the board in 2001 when his three children were quite young and saw the position as a way to be connected to his children's educational experiences.
"I wanted to get involved in local politics but lived outside the city limits. The school board interested me because I had a great experience attending Camas schools myself and wanted to be a part of my children's education," O'Dell said.
"This is a loss for the district. A great deal of knowledge and history is leaving us and both Julie and Casey will be truly missed," said Superintendent Jeff Snell. "Julie is highly organized and detail oriented and brings an analytical lens to the board. A lifelong resident of Camas, Casey helps us honor our history and traditions in the face of an ever-changing educational landscape," he added.
The Camas School Board is seeking applicants to fill the vacancies left by the two resignations.
The appointees will fill the District 1 and District 5 positions until the 2018 election cycle. The winner of that election will serve the remaining three years of each term.
The district has posted on its website details about the application process and deadline. For information, call 360-833-5412.
http://www.camas.wednet.edu/news/board-application-process-director-districts-ii/