FORKS — Forks High School students will be seeing a familiar face in the front office this fall.
The school’s new principal will be Ray Marshall, 40, Forks Middle School principal for the past three years, who takes on the high school post for $10,000 a year more.
In an unusual Quillayute Valley School District arrangement, Marshall will keep his old job while simultaneously assuming the top spot at the high school, which has been plagued by student and community protests aimed mostly at former principal Steve Quick.
Quick’s contract will not be renewed for next year by Frank Walter, Quillayute district superintendent.
Walter said Quick is now serving out the final days of his current contract.
“There are many benefits to this new configuration,” Walter said Wednesday.
“Part of it is that Mr. Marshall is a really, really strong administrator and the middle school is thriving.”
Another advantage, Walter said, is that Marshall already knows most of next year’s high school students, since he was their principal when they attended middle school.
Staff, parental support
During the past few days, Walter met with high school staff and later with parents to test the idea of Marshall taking over as Forks High principal.
“If they had said it was a bad idea, we would have said, ‘Never mind,”‘ Walter said.
“What we needed was to say to parents and the community that the high school staff wanted Marshall to be their principal.
“And they did.”
School Board President Bill Rohde said he has confidence in Marshall, adding that as a board member he will be lending the new principal all the support he can give him.
“I have great respect for Marshall,” Rohde said.
“I certainly hope he’s going to have a positive effect at the school. If anyone can do it, he can.”