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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mary McAdam

A candidate for Nine Mile Falls School Board, Nine Mile Falls School District in the 2019 Washington Primary Election, Aug. 6

Age: 69

City: Nine Mile Falls, WA

Education: East Valley High School class of 1973. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Eastern Washington University in 1977. She earned a Master’s of Education in administration and curriculum development from Washington State University in 1986.

Political Experience: None.

Work experience: Worked in the Nine Mile Falls School District for 39 years until retiring after the 2016-17 school year. She started teaching science and girls physical education at the junior high school. She moved to the high school in 1991 to teach several subjects and coach multiple girls sports teams.

Family: Divorced. She has one adult son.

Her pitch: McAdam said she would bring decades of teaching experience to the school board and call out the Legislature for not properly funding schools. She said she feels teacher raises have been blamed for budget crises. She said she wants to see more money go into education and advocate for construction on Lakeside High School.

In her words: “Since I was in the district before there was a high school and after there was a high school, I’d like to take the district and see what else we can do.”

Race Results

Candidate Votes Pct
Eric Olsen 374 47.16%
Kirsten Foose 253 31.90%
Mary McAdam 166 20.93%

Details & headlines

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Nine Mile Falls School Board race pits police major versus retired teacher

Eric Olsen, 50, a major for the Spokane Police Department, is running on a school safety platform. Mary McAdam, 64, who taught in the district for nearly 40 years before retiring two years ago, said her focus would be on a free and reduced breakfast program.

Three first-time candidates drawn to vacant Nine Mile Falls School Board position

Three candidates filed for the Nine Mile Falls School Board position No. 2 vacated by Debbie Williams, who is moving out of the district. Incumbents Mac Mikkelsen and Bill McBride are running unopposed for director positions No. 1 and No. 3, respectively.