Co-hosts Christie, Cherylynne, and Jasmine give updates on some SPS developments over the summer, school board election results, and a big change coming soon to Rainy Day Recess.

• July 2 School Board Meeting
• July 30 Special School Board Meeting
• August 27 School Board Meeting
• Fred Podesta Email

• School Board 2025Aug-results-final.pdf

• The Grade
• Seattle Times, August 8, 2025: Backing counted in Seattle School Board primaries; money, not so much
• Seattle Times, August 20, 2025: Seattle teachers’ contract takes new approach to classroom disruptions
• Seattle Times, August 28, 2025: Survey says this is what Seattle schools want in next superintendent

• Cherylynne Crowther: Liberate Disability
  • Sign up for the October 11 workshop - Discover Your IEP Advocacy Style—And Why It's Already Working
• Jasmine Pulido
  • Transportation Justice Limited Series Podcast: Transit in Transition
  • Available for writing contracts - Email: Jasminewrotethis@gmail.com
• Christie Robertson: xiebob@gmail.com

• District 5 Finalists: Vivian Song and Janis White
• District 4 Finalists: Joe Mizrahi and Laura Marie Rivera
• District 2 Finalists: Sarah Clark and Kathleen Smith

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Support the show

Contact us at hello@rainydayrecess.org.
Rainy Day Recess music by Lester Mayo, logo by Cheryl Jenrow.

In this episode of Rainy Day Recess, hosts Christie Robertson and Cherylynne Crowther interview Vivian Van Gelder, a candidate for the District 5 seat on the Seattle School Board. Note: Vivian has since stopped campaigning and is endorsing Janis White, but her name will still appear on the ballot. Vivian diagnoses Seattle Public Schools as needing fundamental restructuring rather than reform. She argues that the district's failed experiment in "radical decentralization" 30 years ago created widespread disconnection—schools competing against each other, losing sight of their educational purpose, and becoming isolated from the communities they serve. Her central thesis is that current accountability measures like progress monitoring cannot work because the district lacks the foundational capacity for meaningful organizational change. She advocates for external intervention to help build proper structures before implementing governance models, describing the current approach as "putting the cart before the horse." Vivian also critiques the school board election process as fundamentally inaccessible to ordinary people with day jobs and children, arguing that effective campaigning skills differ entirely from effective governance skills. Her vision centers on reconnecting schools as the heart of healthy democratic communities. Listeners are encouraged to check out interviews with other District 5 candidates and stay informed for the upcoming elections.

Timestamps:

• 01:18 Interview start
• 01:36 Lightning Round
• 07:05 Main interview questions
• 15:42 Preview of other D5 candidates

Support the show

Contact us at hello@rainydayrecess.org.
Rainy Day Recess music by Lester Mayo, logo by Cheryl Jenrow.

In this episode of Rainy Day Recess, host Christie Robertson interviews Vivian Song, a candidate for the District 5 seat on the Seattle School Board. As a former school board director making a comeback run, Vivian brings insider knowledge of Seattle Public Schools' $1.2 billion budget and her perspective on the board's challenges. She expresses frustration that "we haven't made much progress" on equitable budgeting since 2021 and argues the district struggles with community engagement—pointing to reactions over school closures, bell times, and option schools. Her platform centers on restoring institutional structures like Finance committees and Friday memos, addressing budget areas like bus transportation and substitutes, and finding a superintendent who can create long-term visions instead of "lurching from crisis to crisis." She proposes systematic community feedback tracking modeled after City Councilmember Debora Juarez's newsletters and advocates for a hybrid approach balancing school autonomy with district oversight. With experience on multiple levy oversight committees and international school systems, she offers a data-driven perspective shaped by previous board service. Listeners are encouraged to check out interviews with other District 5 candidates and stay informed for the upcoming elections.

Timestamps:

• 01:07 Interview start
• 01:19 Lightning Round
• 06:07 Main interview questions
• 17:55 Preview of other D5 candidates

Support the show

Contact us at hello@rainydayrecess.org.
Rainy Day Recess music by Lester Mayo, logo by Cheryl Jenrow.