Meet Corey Cassell, Candidate for Enumclaw School Board

What is your full legal name: Corey Roy Cassell 

Where do you work and what is your job title: Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Auburn WA

Manufacturing Engineering Manager; Boeing Executive Focal (Liaison) to Green River Community College 

When and Where were you born: August 14th, 1967 in Tacoma WA 

Where do you live now and how long have you lived there: I live at the Northern most end of Harding Street in The City of Enumclaw.  We have lived at this location since 1996, and have lived in Enumclaw since March of 1990. 

Spouse: Trina Cassell, married for 21 years 

Children: Sarina 16, Alicia 15 and Trevor 11 

Education: Federal Way HS class of 1985; Renton Technical College, 1995 Journeyman Machinist; Green River Community College 2006 AAS in Manufacturing Technology 

Military Service: None 

Memberships and affiliations with clubs and other organizations: Washington State School Directors Association, Member; Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Member; Green River Community College Manufacturing Technology Committee Chairman; EHS FIRST Robotics Club, Founding Mentor and Sponsor 

Have you or a business you owned (or had a principal interest in) ever filed for bankruptcy: No 

As an adult have you ever been convicted or charged with a crime other than a minor traffic violation: No 

Campaign information:

• Web site: none
• Email address: cassell4schools@hotmail.com
• Phone Number: 360-825-0772
• Campaign Manager: None
• Campaign manager contact information: none

Previously elected positions: Enumclaw School Board of Directors, Position 3 2007 

Other campaigns for public office: None 

This campaign:

What is the primary reason for running for this office:

I will be honored to continue to serve in this capacity.  There is much work yet to be done and with the current fiscal climate, there has never been a more difficult time to be an elected official. Making the right decisions will involve all stakeholders. Communication will critical to making sure we are representing the best interests of children and families of the Enumclaw School District. 

What will be your top three priorities if you get elected and why:

 1. Student learning – Making sure that our priorities will support the hard work that is being done in the classroom. There will be some difficult decisions in the coming year. I will be focused on the outcome and results for students and how we can best support our staff in their efforts to improve instructional outcomes.  They have made significant progress in the past 3 years. We will be challenged to continue the progress but I am committed to supporting that effort as the highest priority across all grade levels and subjects. 

2.  Parent involvement, communication and community networking – Whether we are talking about early childhood education or beyond high school preparation, we can always improve how effective we are at communicating with families regarding their child’s education. We now have Parent Teacher Student organizations at every school! This is a significant, positive change that has only come about within the past year. We must work together to maintain a common understanding and vibrant communication strategies to build and maintain the connection between parents, teachers, students and the community at large.  Whether you have children in school or not, you are affected by our educational system; even if only as a tax payer. Good schools support healthy communities and strong property values. I believe much progress has been made in the area of communication. I also believe that we have much work to do in order to truly come together as a community in support of a becoming one of the highest performing school systems in the state of Washington. This goal will only be accomplished through sound leadership and a collaborative effort with stakeholders. I will work hard to support the strategies that will be necessary to continue our progress toward this goal.

3. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) is an area of significant weakness in the US educational system today. When compared with nations such as Japan, Germany, India and China, the US is quickly losing ground in the global market place because we have not adequately addressed the need to produce strong numbers of engineers and scientists. This issue, paired with the demographic “bubble” that is about to burst when millions of Baby Boomers retire over the next 10 years, will put a significant strain on our economy and educational system if we do not act now to address it. Realistically, we are already behind the curve. I believe that kids need to learn about science and technology through hands-on learning opportunities. I also believe that this needs to happen much earlier than High School in order to create the spark that children need to get excited about math and science. I have been, and will continue to be a vocal advocate for improved opportunities for our children to get excited about becoming contributors in the remarkable high tech world we live in. The by product of educational improvements in this area will undoubtedly be improved performance in the areas of reading and math as well as an increased understanding of the world around us.   

What sets you apart from other candidates and/or previous office holders: I am very grateful to have the opportunity to serve in this capacity because board positions are often held by those with advanced degrees.  My background starting out as a skilled tradesman gives me a different perspective than many of those who have held this position. I am also committed to a life of continued education and learning as I have completed over 6 years of higher education along the way while continuing to work full time for the past 26 years since graduating from high school. I believe this gives me an appropriate level of understanding for students who are bound for advanced levels of education as well as those who choose to become professionals through learning a trade.  Either way, I have come to a firm belief that today’s youth will need some form of continued education after high school to fill the roles of retiring baby boomers. My life experiences provide a perspective that supports a diverse variety of students, not just those who are headed down one particular path.   

How much money do you expect to spend on this election: None