Bremerton School District sees 2 primary election contests in August
Voters in the Aug. 5 primary will determine which candidates move forward to the November general election.
Six candidates are vying for two Bremerton School Board positions in the Aug. 5 primary election, including one current board member.
The District 4 position features three challengers: Jenny Farley, Shannon Turner and Chris Warthen. Current District 4 director Alyson Rotter opted not to run for re-election. She joined the board in 2013. Farley is in her third decade in the U.S. Navy working at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Turner is a U.S. Army veteran with previous employment at Peninsula Community Health Services. Warthen has worked as a Department of Defense civilian since 2003 with experience across several Kitsap sites.
In District 5, incumbent Ben Anderson is running against Mary Devery and Linda Simpson. Anderson, who was appointed to the board in February following the resignation of Carolynn Perkins, is a U.S. Coast Guard veteran. He runs an engineering firm in Bremerton. Devery is a career educator with 42 years of experience in Bremerton School District. Simpson is a former Boys & Girls Club educator and disabled minority veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserve.
In each director race, the two candidates who receive the most votes in next month’s primary will advance to the general election in November.
The Kitsap Sun asked board candidates to submit answers to a three-part email questionnaire ahead of the election. Warthen did not respond to requests.
Jenny Farley (District 4)
Q: What do you feel you would bring to the school board if elected?
A: I bring over 25 years of leadership and financial management experience, along with the heart of someone who grew up here and truly cares about Bremerton’s future. As a proud graduate of Bremerton High School, I know how much our schools shape lives. Professionally, I’ve managed multimillion-dollar budgets and large, diverse teams, always focused on accountability and results. But just as important, I’ve spent years volunteering in classrooms, mentoring students, and supporting youth sports. I understand the challenges our families face and the hopes parents have for their kids. I’m committed to listening, collaborating, and ensuring every student has the resources and encouragement they need to thrive. I believe it is our job to help set our community’s children up for success, and we do so by providing the foundation they need to achieve their goals; a strong education is imperative to empowering every student to thrive academically, developing confidence and pursuing their dreams with the skills and support they need. My background in leadership and my dedication to our community mean I’ll work hard to build a school district we can all be proud of.
Q: Is there a particular reason you are motivated to serve?
A: I’m motivated because I care deeply about this community and the children growing up here. Bremerton has always been my home, and our schools helped me become who I am today. I see so much potential in our students, but I also see real challenges — academic gaps, strained trust, and families who feel unheard. As a parent, mentor, and longtime public servant, I believe we have a responsibility to step up and make things better. Serving on the school board is my way of giving back and helping create schools where every child feels valued, supported, and inspired to reach their goals. I want to bring my experience, compassion, and commitment to help move our district forward. Integrity, trust and transparency are core values to me, and I am committed to creating an environment where teachers, staff, students and families feel heard, respected and confident in the direction of our schools.
Q: Discuss one or two issues within your school district you’d like to see the board address over the next couple years.
A: One of my biggest concerns is our low reading and math proficiency. We owe it to our students to make sure they build strong foundations early on. I’d like the board to set clear, measurable targets for improvement and to ensure teachers have the tools and training to help every student succeed. I believe in our teachers, they are the backbone of our schools, so I want to make sure we are supporting them as much as we can. I believe in our students; students of all ages have all the potential in the world, so we need to figure out how to best unlock that potential, so our students find better academic success. I don’t think this means reinventing the wheel, but we have to figure out how to do things differently than we currently are because our current system isn’t working to graduate students who are proficient in essential skills, particularly in reading and math. Just as important is rebuilding trust with families. Parents deserve honest communication and real opportunities to be heard and involved. I’d like to see more family engagement programs and more transparent reporting so the community feels like a true partner in our schools. If we focus on academic excellence and stronger relationships, I believe our students — and our community — will thrive.
Shannon Turner (District 4)
Q: What do you feel you would bring to the school board if elected?
A: I bring a strong combination of leadership, lived experience, and community-centered service. As a U.S. Army veteran and former Student Body President at Olympic College, I’ve managed multimillion-dollar budgets and led diverse teams. My background includes working in state government and serving on several local and regional committees focused on equity, transportation, and disability advocacy. I understand how to listen, advocate, and build consensus. I also bring a parent’s perspective and a passion for ensuring every student — regardless of background has the opportunity to succeed. I will be a transparent, collaborative, and values-driven voice on the board.
Q: Is there a particular reason you are motivated to serve?
A: Yes — my passion for education comes from personal experience. As a veteran, student parent, and community advocate, I’ve seen how schools can either open or close doors for kids. I want to ensure our district is doing everything possible to open those doors, especially for underserved students. I believe deeply in public education as a pathway to opportunity, and I want to give back by helping make that pathway stronger, more equitable, and more inclusive for all students in Bremerton.
Q: Discuss one or two issues within your school district you’d like to see the board address over the next couple years.
A: First, I’d like to ensure that budget decisions continue to reflect student needs, especially as state and federal education funding faces uncertainty. We must protect critical programs and services. Second, I believe we need to deepen our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion — not just in policy but in practice. That includes curriculum, staff training, and community engagement. These priorities are essential to supporting academic success and a welcoming environment for every student.
Ben Anderson (District 5)
Q: What do you feel you would bring to the school board if elected?
A: I was born and raised in Bremerton and am a proud graduate of the Bremerton School District. I served 20 years in the military and since retiring have taken over a local engineering firm where my wife and I employ over 35 employees (mostly here in Bremerton). The Bremerton community is amazing, and we need our school district to be just that, amazing. If elected, I will not only bring my love and passion for a thriving school district, but also my leadership and business experiences to help the district as we move into a challenging budget environment. I will continue to bring a voice that ensures our children are put first. They are our future, and we (all of us) need to give them the best opportunity to succeed once they graduate.
Q: Is there a particular reason you are motivated to serve?
A: After graduating from Bremerton, I joined the U.S. Coast Guard as I felt the need to serve my country. When I moved back to Bremerton, retiring from the USCG, I dove right in to giving back to my community by volunteering in Rotary, the Bremerton YMCA, Pee Wee coaching, and as a parent volunteer within the Bremerton School District. When the opening of the school board position presented itself in February, I jumped on the opportunity to use my experiences and leadership to help. My children are my primary motivators. That said, after coaching hundreds of kids on soccer fields and basketball courts, playing with many of them at Crownhill recesses, and mentoring them at BHS, they ALL became my motivators, and I care deeply about all of them and their success in life.
Q: Discuss one or two issues within your school district you’d like to see the board address over the next couple years.
A: It’s no secret that the school district will be challenged to balance a budget in the years to come. This is driven by unreliable funding, rising costs, and a decline in enrollment. My focus will be identifying these tough decisions well before a decision needs to be made, having the right voices providing input, and making these decisions transparent to the community … all while keeping the children top of mind. Another key issue will be addressing our district’s low testing scores and graduation rates. I do not think test scores capture the true value the district provides our children with, but it is a metric that we track and that we can surely be better at. Our Strategic Plan is a tool that can be used to help with this. Progress (and failures) need to be tracked, shared with the community, and plans adjusted as necessary to measure growth and success. My focus here is to ensure the Strategic Plan is implemented, that progress is shared, and that changes are made as necessary to keep us moving in the right direction.
Mary Devery (District 5)
Q: What do you feel you would bring to the school board if elected?
A: First, I was born and raised in Bremerton, and I am a former Bremerton student who graduated from West High. Secondly, I am a Bremerton parent, my children went to Naval Avenue, Mountain View Middle School, Bremerton Jr. High, and Bremerton High School. Lastly, I have been a teacher for the last 40 years in the Bremerton School District. I believe I am very unique because I can see all sides of any issue: One as a student, one as a parent, and finally as a teacher VOICE.
Q: Is there a particular reason you are motivated to serve?
A: The reason I would like to serve on the board is our Bremerton students. They have been my life and my passion. This is my only reason, and my only job. I love Bremerton and Bremerton kids, and they deserve someone who is willing to speak up and try to make a difference in their lives. All students can learn and deserve opportunities that will make their life better.
Q: Discuss one or two issues within your school district you’d like to see the board address over the next couple years.
A: I would like every decision made by the board to help students, parents, and teachers. We have wonderful talented students, parents who want the world for their kids, and dedicated, hardworking teachers, yet the system is failing them. We need to do things differently, not more programs, but use the strategic plan that was completed by students, parents, community members, teachers, and administration. Implement it with fidelity, and have a transparent system that all stakeholders have access to. Students need to be able to learn, teachers need to be able to teach, and all administration needs to provide the systems to allow this to happen.
Linda Simpson (District 5)
Q: What do you feel you would bring to the school board if elected?
A: An effective school board director must deeply understand the diverse community they serve. My qualifications are rooted in both education and lived experience within Bremerton. As a parent of two special needs children who attended Bremerton schools from early childhood through graduation, I’ve spent years advocating for students with exceptional needs. My work as an educator with the Bremerton Boys & Girls Club further connected me with students and families across our city. I am a minority veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserves and the spouse of an Army soldier/private contractor who served in Iraq for nearly six years. I’ve experienced the challenges of parenting alone and supporting children through long separations — an experience shared by many military families in our district. As an above-the-knee amputee, I understand the daily realities of living with a disability. These experiences have shaped my empathy, resilience, and determination — qualities I bring to this role. My academic background in Biology and Elementary Education gives me common ground with students and educators. A guiding philosophy I hold — learned from mentor Dr. Katherine Kersey — is: If something doesn’t work, try something else. That spirit of compassionate persistence guides everything I hope to contribute to the Bremerton School Board.
Q: Is there a particular reason you are motivated to serve?
A: The two most pressing reasons I’m running for school board are to improve student achievement — which I’ve addressed in response to the third question — and to address budget bloat. In 2008–09, Bremerton schools served approximately 4,200 students with a $52.4 million budget. Today, we serve the same number of students with a $103 million budget — a 96% increase. Inflation doesn’t explain that growth. For example, the cost of a loaf of bread rose just 29% during that same period. We must be more fiscally responsible. We can start by conducting a top-to-bottom review of administrative and overhead costs. Are there redundancies in central office staffing? Can we streamline non-instructional spending? Are contracts and vendor services being competitively bid and regularly evaluated? Every dollar spent outside the classroom must be justified. We also need more transparency and accountability in how funds are allocated. Budgets should be clear, measurable, and tied directly to improving student outcomes. Investments in direct instruction, special education support, and classroom tools must take priority over bureaucracy. Our responsibility is to ensure that every tax dollar supports students — not just systems. We need to refocus the budget on what matters most: learning, opportunity, and long-term student success.
Q: Discuss one or two issues within your school district you’d like to see the board address over the next couple years.
A: One of our top priorities must be understanding why student achievement at Bremerton High School is falling short. According to the OSPI 2023–24 Report Card, only 30.1% of high school students met consistent grade-level standards in science, 26.1% in math, and 52.9% in English Language Arts. These figures are a clear call to action. We must provide students with an education that motivates, supports, and connects them to their future. Not every student is on a path to college, but every student deserves an education that reflects their strengths, goals, and learning styles. A “one-size-fits-all” model fails to meet the needs of our diverse learners. As the parent of two happy, successful autistic young adults who attended Bremerton schools from age three through graduation (2016 and 2020), I know the power of individualized education. The IEP process — tailoring goals and tracking progress — helped my children thrive. Imagine the impact if every student had a personalized learning plan that evolved with them. Paired with a mentorship framework — where educators follow students through key stages (K–5, 6–8, and 9–12) — we could build lasting relationships and deeper support. It’s time to reimagine education as a guided journey, not a conveyor belt — one that helps every student thrive.
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