Longtime teacher joins school board

Karla Knudsen-Johnston, who taught elementary students for 33 years in Shelton schools, is the new member of the Shelton School Board.

In a special meeting Monday evening at CHOICE High School, the board members voted 3-0 to select the Shelton native from five candidates to replace Marilyn Ward in an at-large position on the five-person board. Ward moved out of the district with three years remaining on her term.

Board member Matt Welander was unable to attend the special meeting because he was fighting a blaze as the chief of the West Mason Fire District.

Knudsen-Johnston, a 1977 graduate of Shelton High School, taught first-, second- and third-grade students while working for all three elementary schools in the district, starting at Bordeaux, then Evergreen and her final 18 years at Mountain View. She retired in 2015, but has been working in the district as a substitute teacher.

"I'm very honored to get to serve the Shelton School District and the board of directors," she told the Journal following the selection.

The other four candidates were Douglas Peterson, Ross Gallagher, Melissa Stearns and Jason Lawson. At Monday's special meeting, the board members asked the candidates the same five questions, including their desire to be on the board, the skills they would bring to the post, and their thoughts on the district's new five-year plan.

Knudsen-Johnston said she loved being a teacher and working on district committees.

"This has been my life's work," she said.

Knudsen-Johnston said she has read the district's five-year strategic plan several times. She said she's glad it includes focusing on the good traits of students and making schools a positive place where students can be "agents of their success."

Board president Keri Davidson said she welcomes Knudsen-Johnson's educational expertise and experience on the board. Davidson said she valued that quality in two members who recently retired from the board, Sally Brownfield and Sally Karr.