Search
Close this search box.
Happy Birthday to us! Try 6 months of unlimited local news for $2.

Jessie Deardorff resigns from Ferndale school board

District 3 position open

By Hailey Hoffman Visual Journalist

The Ferndale School District announced the resignation of Jessie Deardorff, school board district director 3, during a Tuesday board meeting. Deardorff officially resigned in an email to the board on Nov. 20.

“It’s time for rest and relaxing time,” Deardorff said in an email to Cascadia Daily News. “There were no other reasons for my decision.”

At the meeting, board president Kevin Erickson said they will select an interim board member to fill the position until the November 2023 election. They will accept applications complete with letters and resumes through Jan. 6, 2023, and select their candidate in the following weeks. 

“It
is with great respect that I know you will find the right person, from District 3, as my replacement,” she said in a district news release. “I look forward to hearing all the great news from the school board.”

Applicants must live within director District 3, which covers the Lummi Nation, Lummi Island and surrounding areas. 

Deardorff is a member of the Lummi Nation and graduated from Ferndale High School. She was elected to the position in 2019 and said her goal was “to see all Lummi children succeed,” in her school board biography. She served the school district through the COVID-19 pandemic and the failed levy in 2020.

In June 2022, the Washington Public Disclosure Commission (WPDC) fined Deardorff $2,000 for failing to file personal financial affairs statements for 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2020, Deardorff was fined $250 for failing to file in 2019. Deardorff paid both fines but no financial statements are available in the state database

The state requires all elected officials — including school board members — to “file with the commission a statement of financial affairs for the preceding calendar year.” Elected officials have until April 15 of each year to file the documents.

All other members of the Ferndale School Board have filed financial reports for every year they’ve held their position. 


This story was updated to include a response from Jessie Deardorff at 5:09 p.m. on Nov. 30. 

Latest stories

Angel Leffingwell to enter plea before judge on Friday
March 28, 2024 12:23 p.m.
Counties increase for five consecutive months
March 28, 2024 12:15 p.m.
New fares in effect May 1
March 28, 2024 11:53 a.m.

Have a news tip?

Email newstips@cascadiadaily.com or Call/Text 360-922-3092

Sign up for our free email newsletters

Preferences: