Washougal School District begins superintendent search

The Washougal School District (WSD) has launched its search for a permanent superintendent.

The district will hold an in-person listening session from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Washougal High School’s Excelsior building, and is inviting residents to fill out an online survey, open through Jan. 7, 2025.

The Washougal School Board will use the survey feedback from the event to decide the next steps in its search process, which will include consideration of its interim superintendent, Aaron Hansen.

“The Washougal School District Board of Directors is committed to ensuring strong and effective leadership for our schools and community, and is seeking your input to assist in the search for the next Washougal School District superintendent,” the district stated in an online announcement. “The Board is gathering community feedback from district families, students, staff and community members about the skills and professional experiences that would help them identify a candidate who can successfully lead the district and make progress toward our shared goals.”

District leaders said they are looking for a superintendent who works collaboratively with diverse groups and proactively engages with students, families, staff and community members; demonstrates expertise in employee and labor relations; provides thoughtful financial stewardship and analysis to ensure resources are used to make progress toward district goals; communicates effectively; and inspires trust and confidence.

The Board named Hansen as the district’s interim superintendent on April 30, less than two weeks after then-superintendent Mary Templeton accepted a new position leading the Lake Stevens School District in Lake Stevens, Washington.

Hansen told The Post-Record in May 2024 that he “absolutely” planned to apply for the permanent position.

“That’s part of my plan,” Hansen said. “(Being a superintendent) is one of my ultimate goals that I’ve been pursuing, and I’ve been waiting for that time when it felt right. After Mary announced (that she was leaving the district), I felt this could be the time. A lot of things needed to happen for that to be the case, so I feel very fortunate that it has worked out for me.”

Washougal School Board members began informal discussions about the search process during an Aug. 13 meeting.

“The last time we looked (to fill the) superintendent position, the actual initial ‘kickoff’ was Jan. 29 through the end of February,” Hansen told the Board. “We worked with a consultant who went around and got feedback from various groups, and then from there, (we made) a number of decisions — when to post (the job), the application process, screening, and the interview.”

Board member Jim Cooper asked Hansen if the timeline described aligns with the time of year when school districts typically seek to fill openings.

“Usually, jobs get posted in February and March,” Hansen said. “That’s when individuals make decisions, or boards make decisions regarding the future of that position. It doesn’t always have to be that way, but I would say that (the search occurs in early) spring, and then decisions are usually made by April or May so the superintendent can do some sort of shadowing or have an opportunity to meet with the community.”

During the Aug. 13 meeting, school board member Chuck Carpenter said the Board will make “key decisions” about the process in November and December.

“One (decision) is whether to do an outside search,” he said. “The second one is, if we do, do we want to spend $25,000, $30,000 on a consultant? There’s a lot for us, as a board, to weigh.”

Cooper indicated that he would not be in favor of the latter option.

“Just to be blunt, I’m hopeful that we can avoid the expense, in tight budget years or not, of spending our money to pay (people from the) outside to help us,” he said.

Cooper later told The Post-Record that, as a representative of Washougal voters, he is “looking forward to input from staff, families and taxpayers through both the listening session and the online survey that will inform the Board’s thoughtful discussion of this topic in an upcoming executive session.”

“I don’t believe that our school district is currently in the best financial condition, and, in principle, I’m not in favor of spending a large sum to hire a search firm,” Cooper said. “‘Large’ is all relative, however, and in the context of the size of the district’s annual budget and the cost of four to six years — the average tenure of a Washington state school superintendent — of the superintendent’s salary and benefits, the cost of a search firm may well be worth the investment.”

To fill out the survey about the superintendent search, visit washougal.k12.wa.us/superintende nt-search-process.