Kelly Steffens is running for Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors Position 5.

She and her husband, Mike, have two elementary age girls, 11 and 9, in the district, and have lived in both the Grand Coulee and now Smith Lake Road areas.

"I am from a large school district when I lived in Portland, and had 400 students in my class. I have always wanted to live in a small city where everyone knows one another," Steffens said.

"I am concerned with bullying and that discipline be handled in a better way," she said.

Her daughters and friends of theirs are active in sports, and that consumes a lot of time.

"I would like to see more sport programs for junior-high-age students, and school funding seems to be a serious issue in our schools," Steffens said.

She has never run for public office before, but thinks newcomers can focus on problems.

"My campaign is essentially word of mouth," she said, "but I have communicated a lot through Facebook."

"The bullying and discipline issues need attention now, my own children being victims on occasion," she added. "The teachers try, but it seems that the administration will listen to you but not do anything."

Steffens is employed at Coulee Medical Center as a nurse. Her husband is public works director at the town of Coulee Dam.

"I think that a lot of the members of the school board do not have children in the school," Steffens said. "I think parents have a lot of insight into problems and how they might be solved."

The couple lives on a 20-acre piece of property and have horses.

"It is nice to have room on our place," Steffens stated.

She is challenging current board member Richard Black, who is seeking his first four-year term on the school board.