The Port Townsend School District decided against principal candidates and is moving forward with an interim appointment instead.

The school district had previously narrowed the candidates for Blue Heron Middle School and the OCEAN K-12 program, who answered questions from the public June 22, but the school district decided against the lone finalist and will have an interim principal for the 2018-19 school year.

“The district recently completed a process that included the screening, interviewing and reference calling on candidates for the position,” said Port Townsend School District Superintendent John Polm. “The position has been difficult to find the right match, and after much deliberation, my thinking, at this time, is that the best plan is to begin our search for a new principal at the beginning of the hiring season, which would be just after the new year in 2019.”

Polm offered his thanks to the committee who participated in “a long day” of interviews, and pledged to “do my best” to find a “quality, experienced” interim principal to serve Blue Heron and OCEAN. 

Polm explained an interim principal is generally selected by the superintendent, with the approval of the school board, to serve for one school year, as the district searches for a permanent principal to begin the next school year.

“We have not promoted anyone, nor given double duty,” Polm said. “The interim is not yet selected. I would like to have an interim in place as soon as possible, but there's no set timeline. I will notify The Leader when we have the interim approved.”