Longtime operations director retires

After 36 years in public education, including 29 in the Camas School District, Operations Director Bryan McGeachy will retire in August. Current Camas High School Principal Steve Marshall will move into a redefined version of this position as director of educational resources. McGeachy has served as the district operations director for 10 years. McGeachy said he will miss the relationships with students and staff members the most, as well as the variety of work in the operations department. The operations director oversees custodial, grounds, energy conservation, maintenance, transportation, shop and warehouse staff. "The staff in all these areas are top professionals, and they know why they're here," McGeachy said. "They dedicate themselves to making Camas school facilities safe, clean, and the best possible teaching and learning environments for our students, staff and parents." During his time in the district, McGeachy saw enrollment grow from 3,000 to more than 7,000 students. "I really enjoyed teaching in the 1990s, when the student body topped out at 600-800 kids," he said. "I was able to know nearly every student. To this day, I still cherish the moments when I can connect with former students. I was also fortunate enough to have excellent mentors, great colleagues, and involved families to have worked with in Camas." A CHS graduate, McGeachy was born in Idaho and lived in Montana and eastern Washington before moving to Camas in 1961. He has a special education and science teaching background, and has served as dean and associate principal of CHS. McGeachy spent the early part of his career in the Evergreen and Ridgefield districts. He gained a background in facilities management at Western Washington University, where he worked as a residential director. He also was employed by the Crown Zellerbach paper mill. When asked about the next chapter, McGeachy said he's looking forward to fishing and hunting trips with friends and family, as well as travel with his wife, Valerie. Marshall to oversee operations In his new role, Marshall will oversee operations as well as new duties related to community partnerships, and student/staff safety. He'll be working closely with the community education, and career and technical education departments to develop relationships with businesses and the community to expand opportunities for students. "Steve has done an outstanding job as principal of Camas High School," noted Jeff Snell, superintendent. "Since he was hired, Steve developed an identity for CHS within the Camas community. He created a climate that staff and students enjoy, and he provided the leadership to take the instructional program to the next level of excellence." Marshall noted he will miss daily interaction with staff and students the most. "But I'll really miss the the everyday adventures, whether it is a conversation with a student, something normal, or something extraordinary," he said. Marshall has served as CHS principal for nine years, and has lived in Camas for nearly 20 years. He has three children: Rylan, a sophomore at CHS, Eliisa a fourth-grader at Dorothy Fox Elementary, and Brady, a preschool student at the Papermaker Preschool. His wife, Erin, is a reading specialist at Dorothy Fox. Previously, Marshall was assistant principal at Mountain View High School, where he oversaw activities and athletics.

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