Crunch time in Seattle

It's tempting to toss out all three incumbents on the Seattle School Board up for re-election next month. The bungled search for a new superintendent was like icing on the $35 million budget-mistake cake.

But that would be the wrong course.

Yes, the board needs new blood to rebuild trust within the community and help shake a perception it is out of touch and unresponsive. But two of the incumbents should stay because they offer the experience and continuity necessary to guide the district through two upcoming levies, tough budget decisions and contract negotiations with the teachers' union later next year.

With Superintendent Raj Manhas at the helm for a one-year stint, stability is paramount.

Improving Seattle's schools — in every neighborhood — is not optional. Federal and state laws mandate the district raise student achievement. More importantly, it is the only right thing to do.

A healthy mix of energy, innovation and institutional knowledge on the School Board will get the district beyond the discord and distraction and move it — finally — in the right direction.

• District 1, North Seattle — Incumbent Barbara Schlag Peterson deserves another term. She has been a solid presence on the board and will help coach new members. She acknowledges the board must be more responsive to citizens. She should take that role very seriously.

Sally Soriano has a long history of grass-roots activism and a clear passion for addressing disproportionality. But she is too quick with criticism and too slow to offer concrete solutions. The district needs a doer, not a naysayer.

• District 2, Green Lake, Wallingford, parts of Ballard — Darlene Flynn is just the kind of dynamic, community-minded voice the board needs. She will help spark a transformation of the board's culture and bring fresh solutions to the district's complex problems.

Incumbent Steve Brown contributes to the perception that the board doesn't accept responsibility for its missteps. He still insists, for example, all four finalists for superintendent were "high-quality" even though one candidate clearly never should have been in the mix. Now is the time for transparency, not spin.

• District 3, Laurelhurst, Northeast Seattle — Board president Nancy Waldman should get another term. While not a strong leader, her steady presence will lend continuity to the board in uncertain times. Her familiarity with district initiatives will serve the board and the city well. She must work especially hard to regain the community's trust.

Brita Butler-Wall cares passionately about the city's children. But her recent experience is too narrowly focused on one issue: commercialism in schools. It remains unclear how she would translate her experiences into strong leadership on districtwide issues.

• District 6, West Seattle — The open seat leaves voters with two solid choices, but Irene Stewart is the better pick. Stewart is the kind of no-nonsense, tough talker the weak-willed board needs. She's focused, knowledgeable and connected. She brings distinct ideas about community engagement and education reform. She will inject the board with a much-needed sense of urgency.

Betty Hoagland is a strong candidate. She has an intimate familiarity with the district through her role as a leader of the Parent Teacher Student Association and as a member of various education task forces and committees. But the board needs a stronger leader to answer critics and challenge the new superintendent to get serious about narrowing the achievement gap.