Dozens apply to replace Debra Clemens as North Thurston superintendent
.JPG "North Thurston Public Schools Superintendent Debra Clemens, shown here at a student advisory council meeting in December, is retiring at the end of the school year.")
Twenty-nine people have applied to be the next superintendent of North Thurston Public Schools.
One of the 29 applicants who met the March 10 deadline will replace current Superintendent Debra Clemens, who announced Jan. 9 that she will retire. Her last day is June 30.
The school board has been working with Iowa-based Ray and Associates, which “specializes in educational executive leadership searches,” according to its website.
The job listing is still posted on the site. It shows the next superintendent will earn $330,000 a year and receive a district-provided cell phone and a monthly stipend for local travel. Moving expenses will be reimbursed up to $15,000, according to the listing.
District spokeswoman Amy Blondin said the salary being offered is in line with other school districts of the same size.
North Thurston, the largest district in the county, has more than 14,000 students and 2,000 employees who attend and work at 13 elementary schools, four middle schools, four high schools, a home-based instruction support school, a virtual school and a performing arts middle school.
As part of the search process, the board solicited community input on the qualities the public would like to see in its next superintendent.
Some of those comments have been shared on the district website. The Olympian has also filed a records request to see the comments in their original form.
Among the comments posted by the district, the superintendent should:
▪ Possess the leadership skills, knowledge and sensitivity required to respond to the opportunities and challenges presented by a diverse student body and community.
▪ Have a strong moral compass that is rooted in justice and equality, and experience working with all genders, races, and socio-economic groups.
▪ Be a strong communicator in speaking, listening, and writing, and promote a positive and professional environment that includes mutual trust and respect among faculty, staff, administrators, and board.
Up next, the board is expected to review applicants and announce finalists in late March, Blondin said. In-person interviews with the finalists are set for April 10.
“The board will ensure opportunities for finalists to engage with community members, NTPS staff, and families,” the district information reads.
The Olympian also reached out to board president Gretchen Maliska about the process.
“The board is thankful for the number of quality applicants we have received,” she said via email. “At this time, everything else remains confidential.”
