Sequim School District’s board of Directors voted on Feb. 23 to retain Dr. Jane Pryne as the district’s superintendent through June 2022. (Photo courtesy of Sequim School District)

Sequim School District’s board of Directors voted on Feb. 23 to retain Dr. Jane Pryne as the district’s superintendent through June 2022. (Photo courtesy of Sequim School District)

Sequim school board votes to keep Jane Pryne

Superintendent to serve through June 2022

SEQUIM — Three weeks after selecting a search firm to find its next superintendent, Sequim School District’s board of directors unanimously voted to keep their interim superintendent for another academic year.

Board directors voted 5-0 Tuesday night to retain Jane Pryne through the end of the 2021-22 school year while the district continues a search for her successor.

The board is expected to offer Pryne a contract at its next regular meeting, set for Monday.

Directors cited a number of reasons for the move, from the timing — Sequim is on a relatively late schedule to be starting a search for a superintendent — to COVID-related changes, to in-person instruction, as well as some negative attention from national news sources toward City of Sequim leaders and turmoil within the district regarding recent complaints directed at administrators.

“We’ve got some challenges,” board member Brian Kuh said at the special meeting on Tuesday. “We’re still trying to navigate through COVID.

“We have enough on our plate … a little more time is needed to get out of the woods.”

Pryne was named acting superintendent in late October after Superintendent Rob Clark was placed on paid leave following a complaint.

A day later, Sequim High School principal Shawn Langston was placed on paid leave following a separate complaint; he has since been reinstated to his position.

Clark agreed to resign in mid-January, and Pryne was named interim superintendent.

At the time, Pryne said in an interview that she was not interested in applying for the permanent role as the district’s lead administrator.

However, she said at Tuesday’s meeting that there are a number of projects she’d like to complete before she steps away and that she’d be willing to stay another year if the board desired.

One of those projects, she said, was having a mediator at Sequim High School to work with staff about the school’s culture.

“That’s a long-term commitment; I would like to at least get the work get mostly completed,” Pryne said.

“I thought, ‘If I could just have one more year, we could hand it over to another superintendent … who would be around for a long time, to take the district to the next level.”

Board member Eric Pickens said he’d prefer to have a long-term superintendent in place — somewhere between five and eight years, if possible — and that keeping Pryne on for a year while doing a thorough search to bring in a new superintendent in July 2022 allows for that.

“I think (a multi-year superintendent) provides for a healthy district (and) long-term relationships with staff and community,” Pickens said. “Given the circumstances, I’m in favor of extending the search itself and extending Dr. Pryne’s contract simultaneously.”

Board president Brandino Gibson agreed.

“If goal is long-term superintendent, let’s let the process happen and continue with the excellent superintendent we have in place now,” he said.

The board on Tuesday heard from Hank Harris of Human Capital Enterprises, the superintendent search firm the district contracted with in early February.

Harris said the district is on pace with a timeline established earlier this year, but noted that finding a highly-qualified candidate is getting tougher.

“You will find no shortage of districts … that are beyond or further along (the superintendent search process) than Sequim,” Harris said.

Many superintendents looking to make a change would be reluctant to make a move this late in the school year and leave their district in the position of searching for a new administrator in April or May, he said.

“Sequim may very well be a district that would be best served by someone with superintendent experience,” Harris said.

“Certainly folks of high talent are in high demand, (and) this year is a very competitive year. (But) I can’t tell you what the pool’s going to look like. In this work, every week counts; every week matters.”

Board members agreed to keep Harris and Human Capital Enterprises on the hunt for the next superintendent. He said his firm will keep the timeline that has staff collecting more information about Sequim and what characteristics its next superintendent should have.

“I think it’s always best to be at the front end of the hiring system,” Harris said. “You’ve got a wonderful superintendent in place for the next year.

“We’ll be in fine shape for recruitment, whenever you deem that ready to go.”

Sequim School Board members also said they are happy with what they’ve seen from Pryne since she took over in Clark’s absence in late October.

“I’ve been extremely impressed by Jane and (her) work,” Kuh said.

Board director Larry Jeffryes, who retired with 35 years of teaching experience, noted Tuesday, “(Pryne) is about the best I’ve worked with.”

Said Pryne on Tuesday: “Since I’ve been here, it seems to have been a seamless transition. I think there are things we could accomplish with me being here another year.”

For more about the Sequim School District, see sequimschools.org.

________

Michael Dashiell is the editor of the Sequim Gazette of the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which also is composed of other Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News and Forks Forum. Reach him at editor@sequimgazette.com.

More in News

Port Angeles High School twin graduates Kaylie Mast, left, and Kendall Mast, communicate with their friends by text while waiting for the start of the 2025 graduation parade on Friday. The parade began at Ediz Hook and culminated with a formal ceremony Friday evening at Port Angeles Civic Field. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Graduation parade

Port Angeles High School twin graduates Kaylie Mast, left, and Kendall Mast,… Continue reading

Suzy Ames.
College pivoting to meet deficit

School cuts more than $2 million in expenses

Pleasant Harbor Resort still seeking approval

Disagreements lead to delays and layoffs

Retiring Port Angeles School District Superintendent Marty Brewer, right, shares a career experience as his replacement, Michelle Olsen, listens during a retirement gathering on Thursday at Lincoln Center in Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Olsen sworn in as PASD superintendent

Stevens Middle School name change proposed with four options

Two hospitalized following head-on collision

Two people were transported to Olympic Medical Center following… Continue reading

Royal Canadian Navy to conduct exercises

The Royal Canadian Navy’s Maritime Forces Pacific will conduct… Continue reading

Power outage scheduled in Freshwater Bay area

Clallam County Public Utility District No. 1 has scheduled power… Continue reading

Slope repair work slated for Highway 19 on Tuesday

Maintenance crews from the state Department of Transportation will… Continue reading

Mike O’Brien of Port Angeles watches as his dog, Nara, left, catches a flying disc and his other dog, Copper, waits for his turn to fetch a ball on Thursday at Erickson Playfield in Port Angeles. O’Brien said catch and fetch are favorite activities for his canine companions. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Got it!

Mike O’Brien of Port Angeles watches as his dog, Nara, left, catches… Continue reading

40-week business program under way

Advisor training part of Recompete program

Port of Port Townsend may ask voters if they should increase term lengths

Commissioners could serve six years if ballot measure is approved