Ron Riggle has not held a seat on the Chimacum School Board, but the 56-year-old challenger for the District 1 director seat brings not only his experience as a Chimacum graduate, but also as a Chimacum parent who has only missed three school board meetings in the past 18 months.

“I have three kids, two who have already graduated from Chimacum and one who’s a senior this year,” Riggle said, who has also been a basketball coach for Chimacum schools. “I’ve learned quite a bit, especially recently.

“The Chimacum schools are the center of our community, but some of those values have been lost. It’s important for our kids’ future that we take the time to address issues like test scores, because those affect our kids’ future. They deserve more of our attention,” he said.

Riggle said his active participation at school board meetings is helping to steer the board in a productive direction, and praised the board’s work under district Superintendent Rick Thompson.

“What we need is a consistent vision,” Riggle said. “We need to plan our maintenance schedule so that we know what we’re doing two, five and 10 years from now. We need to know where we’re going, and over this summer, the board has started to create concrete goals, so that the schools and the community can work together toward that vision.”

Riggle noted that Thompson has used his three years as superintendent to hire principals and other faculty members whose ideas align with his own, “so they understand what to expect, because they’re his team, and they can make things happen.”

Riggle pointed to his own coaching background as evidence of him being “a team-type guy” as well, who looks forward to working with Thompson and the rest of the board.

“The blocks are already being put into place,” Riggle said. “Those of us who have spoken out at the school board meetings, we’ve helped bring about changes already. The district didn’t want to address the issue of student test scores before, but they’ve since admitted it’s a problem, and have started looking into it. I’m not an elected official, but I’m one of the folks who’s asked questions that have made a difference.”

Riggle aims to get Chimacum students “ready for the real world, and able to stand on their own two feet,” enough that he hopes other school districts “will look at at Chimacum and say, ‘Hey, we want to be like them.’”

“Chimacum’s a pretty cool place to grow up,” Riggle said. “That’s why I shared it with my kids.”