POULSBO — With just over a year of school board experience under her belt, long-time district volunteer, board director and former vice president Melanie Mohler was hoisted into the president’s chair by her fellow board members Dec. 14.

She was nominated by her predecessor Catherine Ahl, a seven-year veteran of the board, stepping down after three years as president.

“It’s been my goal to get back to being Legislative rep (for the board), because that’s what I love,” Ahl said of the role which she reassumed Thursday. “And it seemed like a good time for Melanie to be president and Tom (Anderson) to be vice president, because we know, for sure, that they are going to be on the board for the next three years.”

Next year, the board chairs for Districts No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 — currently occupied by Dan Delaney, Ahl and Ed Strickland respectively — will be up for election, while Mohler and Anderson — who were elected in 2005 — will finish their respective four-year terms.

For Mohler, being elected vice president in her first year on the board and promoted to president in the following has left her somewhat speechless.

“I’m very, very honored … and very humbled,” she said. “I don’t think someone tries to fill Catherine’s shoes, I think you try to bring your best efforts and your style to the table, but continuing with the path that she has set us on, maintaining that course.”

Mohler praised Ahl’s ability to decipher multitudes of information, and in “getting right down to the bottom line,” she said. And while she has been taking notes, sitting next to Ahl during the final year of her presidency, the volunteer turned school board president said she is still focused on one of her main platforms — communication.

Both Ahl and Mohler praised the relationships and communication between both members of the board and between the board and the NKSD administrative team, while delving into the opening of a new school, managing construction projects on multiple others and overseeing educational reform in the district.

“We need to continue the communication with one another, with the public and with the district, keeping those doors open so people are feeling free to talk about what our hurdles are,” Mohler said.

Challenges that will come with her election as president will include inciting a management persona at meetings, while opening herself up as the main point of contact for the board, she said.

Ahl added that as president, Mohler will spend more time making decisions with NKSD Supt. Gene Medina, but beyond that, her role on the board shouldn’t change much. “Even though you are president, and you run the meetings, you still only have one voice, one vote; you are still just a member of that board, of that team,” Ahl said.