North Thurston superintendent Debra Clemens will retire at end of school year
Debra Clemens, superintendent of North Thurston Public Schools, the county’s largest school district, is retiring at the end of the school year, she announced during Tuesday’s school board meeting.
The school board, which gathered at Pleasant Glade Elementary for its meeting, voted unanimously to accept her announcement.
Clemens has led the district since 2016. Her reasons for retiring include her husband’s recent retirement and other family commitments. Her last day will be June 30.
The North Thurston school board now will have to get to work to find the next superintendent so that person can start on July 1.
“Dr. Clemens led our district in remarkable achievements, including record-high graduation rates, the establishment of three new choice schools, and significant infrastructure improvements, all accomplished with resilience and grace,” school board president Gretchen Maliska said in a statement.
The three new schools are Envision Career Academy, Ignite Family Academy and Summit Virtual Academy. Komachin Middle School was among several schools that were renovated during her tenure.
There also were challenges: A proposal to shift the district to a balanced calendar, in which the school year plays out over the same number of days but with a shorter summer break and more breaks during the school year, ultimately was not recommended.
Student protests in early 2022 at North Thurston and River Ridge high schools called attention to race and equity issues at the district. Those concerns also were shared at Lacey City Council meetings and with the city’s equity commission.
Clemens led the district through the pandemic, which forced the district to quickly set up remote learning systems and respond to the needs of students. The district eventually moved to a hybrid approach that combined in-person and remote learning and finally a complete return to the classroom.
“I’m deeply grateful for the support of our incredible community, the dedicated educators, and the hardworking staff who have been the driving force behind our collective success,” Clemens said in a statement.
Ray Nelson, president of the North Thurston Education Association, the union that represents teachers and other certificated staff, attended Tuesday’s meeting.
What does he want from the next superintendent? Continuity, he said, pointing out that the school district is in pretty good financial health compared to some other districts.
“She’s been excellent,” said former longtime board member Graeme Sackrison on The Olympian’s Facebook page.
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