Key Players

Superintendent:

Rajinder "Raj" Manhas
Education: B.S., 1971, Punjab University; M.S., 1975, University of Washington
Hobbies: Yoga, gardening
Family: Married; son and daughter
Contract: 3 years ending Aug. 31, 2007. $175,000 salary. No raise the first year; second year, bring salary in line with that of other urban school superintendents. Performance reviews twice a year.

Profile: A Zen-like approach

School chief assesses year

School Board:

New Board fails to quell disharmony over schools [Oct. 4, 2004]

Brita Butler-Wall, President
Residence: Ravenna
Occupation: Educator/activist
Education: U of Oregon, UW, UC Los Angeles

Jan Kumasaka, Vice President
Education: UW
Community/political experience: Previously an organizer for the city's Department of Neighborhoods and chair of the state Human Rights Commission. Advocates improved outreach to non-English-speaking families.
Family: Married with four grown children, who all attended Aki Kurose Middle School Academy and Franklin High School.

Irene Stewart, Executive Committee member
Residence: West Seattle
Occupation: City of Seattle employee
Education: UW
Community/political experience: Thirteen years experience in education issues (Alliance for Education, Business/Child Care Partnership, city of Seattle Office for Education, Fauntleroy Children's Center, Pathfinder Site Council, Project Lift-Off, PTSA, Schools First, School-to-Work Alliance, Southwest Youth and Family Services); 27 years experience with state and local policy-makers; parent of two in public schools

Mary Bass
Occupation: Program analyst for King County's transportation program
Education: Garfield High, UW

Darlene Flynn
Residence: Greenwood
Occupation: Neighborhood-development manager
Education: High-school graduate
Community/political experience: Multiple community-leadership roles; active public-school parent; 15 years' professional public-policy experience, including budget analysis and education focus; volunteer working on reducing disproportionality in schools

Dick Lilly
Education: Roosevelt High; B.A., Whitman College
Occupation: City waste-water policy adviser
Involvement in schools: Parent, former Seattle Times schools reporter

Sally Soriano
Education: West Seattle High; B.A., University of Washington; M.Ed., University of Wisconsin
Occupation: Fair-trade educator and organizer
Involvement in schools: Taught education at University of Wisconsin