Solana Beach board appoints longtime parent volunteer as new trustee

Parent volunteer Katie Süel has been appointed as the newest trustee on the Solana Beach School District board, filling the vacancy left by Vicki King who resigned after 17 years of service. Süel currently serves as the president of the Solana Beach Schools Education Foundation and has been a substitute teacher in many district classrooms.

The board had only one candidate apply for the Area 3 seat, which represents Carmel Valley and portions of Rancho Santa Fe. Süel will take the official oath of office before the board’s Dec. 5 special board meeting and get to work right away as the board continues its search for the next superintendent. She will take a ceremonial oath at the board’s regular Dec. 14 meeting.

As King was only one year into a new four-year term, Süel will serve until the November 2024 election. At that time, she could choose to run for a shortened two-year term through 2026.

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“I want to be voice for each and every student in the district and an advocate for public education,” Süel said during her interview with the board on Nov. 9. “Public education is a vital right, not only for the individual student but our society as a whole.”

A Carmel Valley resident for 10 years, Süel and her family moved to the community for the schools and her children have thrived in the Solana Beach district—her son is a fourth grader at Solana Highlands Elementary and her daughter is now in seventh grade.

Teacher Neva Ayn Megalnick said Süel got involved in the Solana Highlands PTA right away, volunteering in her STREAM lab: “Her approach with the students, her ability to find joy in the work we were doing and to just dive in was wonderful,” said Magalnick, who noted Süel also advocated for getting female astronaut LEGOs to join the male crew in the lab’s collection.

Süel has a PhD in molecular biology but stepped away from her career 10 years ago to care for her children.

“While I was thinking about returning to work, Superintendent Jodee Brentlinger mentioned that the district was in desperate need for substitute teachers,” Süel said. “Since I enjoyed the many hours I spent volunteering at my children’s schools, applying to substitute teach felt like a natural next step in re-entering the workforce.”

She got her 30-day credential in spring 2021 and in the 2021-22 school year, she completely set up and taught Solana Highlands’ art discovery lab for 10 weeks, deepening her commitment to the school and getting to know all the kids.

“When they see me they say ‘You’re our old art teacher!’ and I say ’No, I’m your former art teacher!’”

Süel has volunteered for the Solana Beach Education Foundation for five years and is in her second year as president of the board, helping to raise funds to enhance students’ educational experience and building connections with parent leaders from across the district.

Megalnick said Süel’s “layers of perspective” in viewing the district as a parent, teacher and foundation member will be beneficial for the board.

“I genuinely really love this district and I care about the wellbeing of each and every child and that is what drives my desire to serve on this board,” Süel said.

At the Nov. 9 meeting, the board interviewed Suel in public. While she was the only candidate, Vice President Dana King said it was still the board’s responsibility to make sure she was the very best candidate.

“We have a very qualified candidate …there’s a very clear philosophy that I think is consistent with what we’ve had, which is that it’s all about the kids,” King said.

SBSD President Debra Schade said Süel’s application was a “slam dunk” and showed a strong desire to serve at this level. She also said it was also exciting to have a member join the board who will have students in the district again.

King honored at last board meeting
At the board’s regular meeting the day before on Nov. 8, the district paid tribute to the departing Vicki King. After a slide show of 17 years worth of students and smiles, the big screen showed a word cloud, a collection of King’s best characteristics and qualities: intelligent, warm, caring, poised, student-centered, thoughtful, curious and dedicated.

King was presented with a plaque to recognize her years of service and fellow board members spoke about how she was a valuable mentor and a thoughtful leader.

“Your absence will be felt and we will miss you in that seat and your legacy will certainly endure for our school district,” Schade said.

King, an attorney, small business owner and executive coach, was first elected to the board in 2006 and last fall ran unopposed for her fifth term. Her two children attended Carmel Creek and Solana Pacific and before joining the board, she got her start in the district taking leadership roles on the PTA and site council.

“She entered this role 17 years ago with a desire fueled by passion to give all students the very best full-child educational experience possible,” Superintendent Jodee Brentlinger said.

During her tenure, King was a strong advocate for the nutrition program, for each school to have its own self-sufficient kitchen to prepare scratch-made meals. Her term saw the building of the new Solana Ranch School, passing the Measure JJ general obligation bond to modernize all campuses, and she was involved in the hiring of three superintendents. She served as board president during the pandemic, leading the district as they worked to re-open schools.

“Being a board member is not easy…there are many demands which have only magnified over the last three to five years,” Brentlinger said. “But through all of my interactions with Ms. King, she has never lost sight of the students.”

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King has said it was a difficult decision to step away—she will be pursuing a new position as an education consultant. She said she was emotional thinking about what to say on her last day after 17 years and grew tearful thanking her supportive husband Marty and “the most professional high performing team” she has ever worked with.

“It has really been the honor of a lifetime to be a part of this board, this district and this community,” King said. “I just hope that I’ve given this district as much as this district has given me.”