Vancouver Public Schools has announced several administrative changes for the 2015-16 school year. Personnel assignments are subject to final approval by the school board.
At the district administrative office, Travis Campbell has been hired as chief academic officer, a new role dedicated to school improvement. Campbell has been director of K-12 Student and School Success at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction since 2012. Previously, Campbell held leadership and teaching positions during a 16-year tenure at Clover Park School District in Lakewood, Wash.
Mark Ray will assume the role of chief digital officer filling the vacant position left with the departure of Chief Information Officer Jay Keuter. Ray, currently director of instructional technology and library services, will provide overall leadership to Information and Technology Services and VPS’ weLearn one-to-one digital transformation plan.
Skyview Principal Kym Tyelyn-Carlson will fill a new position as executive director of teaching and learning at the district administrative office. Tyelyn-Carlson joins the current teaching and learning team of Kathy Everidge, Marianne Thompson, and Chris Olsen who supervise programs and operations across the 35 schools in Vancouver. Tyelyn-Carlson will provide leadership with the district’s on-time graduation initiative and growing alternative learning programs.
Replacing Tyelyn-Carlson as principal at Skyview High School will be Jim Gray, current associate principal at Skyview. Luke LeCount, associate principal at Jason Lee Middle School, will move to Skyview next year as associate principal.
Joseph Accuardi-Gilliam and Andy Meyer will transition from interim to associate principal status at Hudson’s Bay High School. Casey Greco will be associate principal at Gaiser Middle School, where he is currently serving as interim associate principal. Discovery teacher Lisa Reed will be associate principal at Jason Lee Middle School.
Two elementary principals have announced their retirements effective at the end of the school year. Laura Dilley, principal at Franklin Elementary, will retire in June with 34 years of service. Eva Unger, principal at Hough Elementary, will retire in June with more than 21 years of service.
Woody Howard, current principal of Hazel Dell Elementary, will be principal at Franklin Elementary. Mychael Irwin, an elementary principal in Reynolds School District (Ore.), will become principal at Hazel Dell. Steve Vance, a former VPS special services administrator, will be principal at Hough Elementary. Vance currently is an elementary principal in White Pass School District (Wash.).
There will be several new and full-time associate principal positions added next year at the elementary level. Sara Tackett, currently a teacher on special assignment in the Learning Assistance Program, will be full-time associate principal at Ogden Elementary. Jessica Graham, half-time associate principal, now will be full-time associate at Roosevelt Elementary. Mark Jordan, associate principal at Walnut Grove and Chinook, will be full-time associate principal at Walnut Grove. Matthew Fechter, associate at Anderson, will be full-time associate at Chinook. Katie Arkoosh, special services manager, will be full-time associate principal at Anderson Elementary. Katie Ronning, associate at King and Felida, will be associate at Hazel Dell and Felida. Jaime Silva, from Pasco School District (Wash.), will be full-time associate principal at King Elementary.