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Gilbert Lamont (Olympia School District school board District 5, Washington, candidate 2025)
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Gilbert Lamont is running for election to the Olympia School District Board of Directors to represent District 5 in Washington. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.[source] He was on the ballot in the primary on August 5, 2025.[source]
Lamont completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Gilbert Lamont provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on July 1, 2025:
- Bachelor's: Kansas State University
- Graduate: University of Colorado
- Military service: United States Army
- Gender: Male
- Profession: Analyst
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign website
- Campaign endorsements
- Campaign Facebook
Elections
General election
General election for Olympia School District school board District 5
Gilbert Lamont and Emily Leddige are running in the general election for Olympia School District school board District 5 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
Gilbert Lamont (Nonpartisan)  | ||
 | Emily Leddige (Nonpartisan) | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Olympia School District school board District 5
Gilbert Lamont, Emily Leddige, and Jeremy Ruse ran in the primary for Olympia School District school board District 5 on August 5, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Gilbert Lamont (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Emily Leddige (Nonpartisan) | |
| Jeremy Ruse (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
Lamont received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Lamont's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
- State Rep. Beth Doglio (D)
- State Rep. Lisa Parshley (D)
- Mayor of Olympia Dontae Payne (Nonpartisan)
- Olympia School Board Memb. Scott Clifthorne
- Lacey City Council Memb. Carolyn Cox
- Olympia School Board Memb. Maria R. Flores (Nonpartisan)
- Olympia School Board Memb. Jess Tourtellotte-Palumbo (Nonpartisan)
- Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates
Pledges
Lamont signed the following pledges. To send us additional pledges, click here.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Gilbert Lamont completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lamont's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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As our family becomes part of the OSD community, I’m inspired to contribute by supporting our incredible teachers, administrators, families, and neighbors in creating the best possible educational experience for every student.
I believe that when we keep students at the heart of our conversations and decisions, we build a stronger, more inclusive, and more effective school system; one that lifts up every child and reflects the values of our community.
To do this I believe it is important to keep discussions and actions student centered.
Impact over intent.
Collaboration is key.
Inclusion is important.
Empower educators.- Inclusion Matters - it is a moral commitment to ensuring that every student knows and feels that they belong, and are given the opportunity to succeed.
Students with special needs thrive when they are educated in the least restrictive environments alongside their peers. It fosters empathy, builds community, and promotes academic and social growth for all students. When we remove unnecessary barriers and provide proper supports, we help every learner reach their full potential.
But inclusion must also mean addressing the systemic inequities that impact students from historically marginalized communities. Every child deserves access to high-quality, culturally responsive education, and a school that celebrates diversity and belonging. - Empower Educators - Washington educators are among the best in the nation: highly trained, deeply dedicated, and true experts in teaching. They deserve our trust, respect, and full support. Supporting educators means more than praise, it means action. That includes giving them the time, resources, and professional development they need to collaborate, grow, and lead. It means involving them in decisions that impact their classrooms, schools, and students. Great teaching doesn’t happen by chance. Teachers need time to plan, prepare, and reflect. We must also draw on their expertise to shape policies that work in practice, not just on paper. When we invest in teachers, we invest in students.
- Collaboration is Key - I believe that real progress happens when we all come together. Our students are our future and our schools are the foundation of their future. By working in partnership, we can create learning environments where both students and teachers thrive. Together, we can be better listeners, better problem-solvers, and better advocates for equity, safety, and excellence in education. We can ensure that every classroom is a place of opportunity and growth. We can support our teachers with the resources and recognition they deserve, and ensure our students are equipped not just to succeed, but to lead. We are better together!
Every decision we make should improve the lives of our students, teachers, and families. Even well-meaning choices can have unexpected outcomes. That’s why I believe in thoughtful planning and honest accountability.
It’s not enough to hope for the best, we need to measure our impact and make sure we’re truly making a difference. I’m committed to leading with purpose, focusing on what works, and putting student success at the center of every decision.
Effective leadership requires collaboration. Working with colleagues, staff, and community members ensures more inclusive, equitable outcomes. An official’s primary responsibility is to represent the people they serve, uplifting diverse voices, especially those often left out of the conversation.
Decisions must be informed and grounded in evidence, not influenced by personal bias or political pressure. Objectivity is key to fairness, allowing leaders to evaluate issues based on facts and community impact.
I believe representation starts with relationships. That’s why I’m actively working to connect with the community through events, canvassing neighborhoods, responding to emails, and setting up one-on-one meetings. I want to understand the hopes, concerns, and priorities of the people I seek to represent.
I believe in involving stakeholders at every step. When we co-create solutions with educators, students, families, and support staff, we build stronger, more sustainable outcomes. That includes ensuring decision-making processes are inclusive, respectful, and well-communicated.
A strong process also means being clear and consistent about how decisions are made. Transparency builds trust, and regular, open communication helps the community stay informed and feel valued. Whether it’s budgeting, curriculum choices, or facility planning, people deserve to know what’s happening and why.
I trust our teachers and administrators to know what good teaching looks like and how to measure it. The Olympia School District uses the Danielson Framework, which provides a clear, research-based structure for evaluating effective teaching practices. It helps ensure consistency while honoring the professional judgment of educators.
Supporting advanced teaching approaches means investing in professional development, encouraging collaboration among educators, and giving teachers the time and resources they need to innovate. We must empower teachers to grow and adapt their instruction to meet evolving student needs.
Lisa Parshley, State Representative, 22nd LD
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Other survey responses
Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Lamont completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
