Longview schools select new superindendent
School board gives unanimous nod to Karen Cloninger, who will move here from Spokane Valley
This story has been updated to include more background about the search for a new superintendent and further comments from the Longview School Board president.
Longview has a new school superintendent, and she is the second woman to be the school district’s top educator.
On Friday, the district announced that the school board unanimously chose Karen Cloninger to replace Dan Zorn, who will retire and move back to Montana when the academic year ends.
Cloninger now is assistant superintendent of East Valley School District in the Spokane area. Cloninger has 22 years’ experience in Spokane public schools and served as project director at the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership for three years.
She has a doctorate in education from Washington State University. Her 2017 dissertation is titled “Leading for Social Justice: A Qualitative Study of School Principals in Washington State.”
In a prepared statement, Longview School Board President Don Witaala said Cloninger’s “commitment to fostering student and family success aligns perfectly with our mission, making her an ideal fit for our community."
In addition to having to negotiate a contract with Cloninger, the district also plans to undertake a comprehensive employee background check. Her start date is July 1.
Zorn, whose base salary is $201,000, has been the district’s superintendent since 2015. He replaced Greg Kirsch, who worked as superintendent under a one-year contract while the district searched for a permanent replacement for Suzanne Cusick, who departed in 2014 after a six-year tenure.
“What impressed me (about Cloninger) was that she really understands the concept of “the whole child and understands the challenges that many of our students face related to mental health,” school board member Jennifer Leach said Sunday.
East Valley School District is smaller than the Longview School District but has similar student profile.
East Valley has 251 teachers and 3,666 students — a population that is significantly less than Longview’s enrollment (6,442). East Valley’s minority enrollment is 30%, and just short of 44 % of the student body is economically disadvantaged. Both those percentages are neatly identical to those for Longview.
About 85% of the East Valley students graduate from high school in four years, according to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The percentage of students that passed state standards last spring was 43.1% (English), 33.3% (math ) and 39.4% (science). English and math scores have both been rising. Those scores are on a par with Longview’s — 43.3%, 30.7% , 39.5 %, according to OSPI.
Cloninger was among 14 applicants to replace Zorn, Witaala said Monday morning.
He said Cloninger has “good experience collaborating with and involving people. She will connect well with the community.”
In addition, Cloninger is well versed in the concept of Professional Learning Communities, he said.
PLCs are a form of professional development in which small groups of educators with shared goals work together to expand their knowledge and improve their craft. Typically, a PLC consists of a facilitator leading a team of teachers that meets regularly to learn new topics, share ideas, and problem solve. Longview teachers hold such sessions on Wednesday mornings.
The school board used a consultant to help review the candidates, but the consultant did not make recommendations about whom to hire, Witaala said.
In addition, school staff got to comment on the final three candidates following meet-and-greet sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The board reviewed more than 100 written or electronic comments for each candidate, Witaala said.
He said he’s confident that Cloninger will continue the Longview tradition of long-tenured superintendents.
Witaala said the school board will set goals for student progress this summer, and Cloninger will help develop them.
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