A new member of the South Whidbey School Board has been appointed to replace Julie Hadden, who is stepping down from her position to focus on her job at Brandman University.

Ann M. Johnson will serve the remainder of Hadden’s term on the board, which runs until November 2021.

During a school board meeting Wednesday, Johnson was selected from among five candidates who were interviewed that evening.

Three of four school board members voted to appoint Johnson to the seat. Hadden abstained from the vote.

“I know that it’s going to be in good hands,” Hadden said about the board’s selection.

“Ann will be a wonderful addition to the board,” South Whidbey Superintendent Jo Moccia said. “She has a wide array of experiences and is enthusiastic and ready to help the board move our district forward.”

Johnson has accepted the responsibility with aplomb. Current executive director of the Whidbey Children’s Theatre, Johnson said she was looking for another way to take on a leadership role in the community.

“When the opportunity presented itself, I thought it was time to step up my game,” she said.

Johnson is new to the school board. In fact, she has never run for an elected position before.

“I’ve been trying to find ways, especially in our current political climate, to take action and really be a part of problem-solving,” she said.

A South Whidbey resident of 18 years, Johnson said she always found something special about school.

Before moving to Whidbey, she was a teacher with the Kent School District.

“Schools have been a cornerstone for me ever since I started kindergarten,” she said.

“Most people think January is the beginning of the new year,” Johnson said.

“For me, that’s always September.”

Johnson has two daughters who attend South Whidbey High School.

In her new role, she is most looking forward to learning the “inner workings” of how the school district runs.

“I am honored and thrilled to be in service to the community as a school board member,” Johnson said.

She will be sworn in during the next school board workshop, Sept. 9.