Kevin Erickson
Meet School Board President Kevin Erickson -- A Decade of Service
Publish January 21, 2021
Kevin Erickson was first sworn in as a member of the Ferndale School Board in October of 2010, when he was selected to fill the seat of longtime member Dr. John Hruby, who decided to retire in the middle of his term. Since then, Kevin has been elected for two consecutive four-year terms, which means he completed a decade this past October. During half of those years, he served as Board President, leading the School District through many challenges and also many successes, including a nearly 30% increase in our graduation rate and the passage of the largest capital projects bond in the district’s history.
When asked why he chose to pursue a seat on the Board, Kevin replies, “Initially, my reasons were twofold. I wanted to give something back to my community by helping shape the education of future generations. I also wanted to fix what I thought was wrong with the system. I have learned a great deal as a Board member, including a lot about the incredible complexities and inner workings of a public school system. Like a lot of people who take on a role like mine, I have learned there is more to the system than I realized and not as much wrong with it as I may have once thought. The bottom line for me -- providing input and direction to the education of future generations is the biggest reason I serve.”
A lifetime resident of Ferndale, Kevin and his family have experienced Ferndale schools firsthand. He attended Mt. View and Central as an elementary student and Vista as a middle schooler. He graduated from Ferndale High School in 1984, following in the footsteps of his parents, Rod (Class of 1959) and Darlene (Class of 1962) and paving the way for his younger brother, Kent (Class of 1988). Kevin and his wife, Robin, have three sons who have all graduated from FHS during Kevin’s tenure on the Board -- Daniel (Class of 2015), Andy (Class of 2017), and Mike (Class of 2019).
By profession, Kevin is a veterinarian, co-owner of Kulshan Veterinary Hospital since 1990, and currently managing partner of the business. He works primarily with small animals, specializing in general surgery and orthopedics. When he’s not managing a veterinary clinic, doing surgery on someone’s beloved pet, or governing a school district, he enjoys spending time with his family, camping, reading, and gardening. He is also a member of Ferndale First Baptist Church.
“The thing that makes me proudest of our district,” says Kevin, “is the dedication and heart of the people who work there. They believe each child can and will do great things, and they do whatever it takes to help facilitate that potential.”
Kevin is looking forward to the time when the Ferndale School District can get back to where it was a couple of years ago. He explains, “Between the cuts associated with the reduced levy and the challenges of the COVID pandemic, our students' education has taken a tremendous hit.” He adds, “I also hope we can continue to work toward greater trust and a stronger partnership with the community. Rather than mis-spending so much energy focusing on our differences, I would like to see us come together to create new and improved opportunities for students.”
Thank you, School Board Member Kevin Erickson! We appreciate you!
