South Whidbey school board faces another vacancy after Jackson resigns

The South Whidbey School Board accepted Marnie Jackson’s resignation June 23, opening an at-large seat just as directors are weighing a near-final budget, an emergency lead-remediation procurement and special-education placements. Jackson said she will leave effective July 31 after nearly six years on the board, saying the job’s time demands no longer fit her growing professional and personal commitments.

Her term was set to run until November 2027, which means the district is now facing another appointment for a seat that could have remained in place for more than a year. Jackson said a two-month leave of absence made clear that the board’s schedule had become harder to sustain.

Washington law gives the board the first chance to fill the vacancy by appointment. The appointee serves until the next regular school district election for the unexpired term, and if the board does not act within 90 days, the local Educational Service District board can step in. The opening is for an at-large member, and nominees must be registered voters who live in the district. Any citizen may nominate a candidate.

The district served 1,173 students across five schools in the 2023-24 school year. South Whidbey School Board meetings are normally held twice monthly, and summer 2026 meetings are at Langley Library in Langley. The board’s recent agenda already included a near-final F-195 budget, board goals, an emergency procurement to address elevated lead in several school water fixtures, an interlocal agreement for specialized special-education placements, and construction and financial updates.

Whidbey Environmental Action Network credits Jackson with four-fold growth since 2023. Jackson started organizing with WEAN in the 1990s, founded South Whidbey High School’s first Ecology Club and helped lead a student effort to stop a proposed McDonald’s at Bayview Corner. She has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2007, after experience as a teacher, farmer and journalist.

At the June 23 meeting, colleagues praised her five-and-a-half years of service, including her role in recruiting the superintendent and supporting student board representation.