This post was originally sent as an email to Tahoma families from the Tahoma School District School Board:
We are excited to announce that the Tahoma School Board has reached consensus on the selection of Shadow Lake Principal Mike Hanson as our next superintendent, effective July 1.
Through hours of thoughtful discussion, deliberation among ourselves and in consultation with district administrators, we thoroughly evaluated Mr. Hanson and each of us is confident that he meets our hiring criteria, which were established during the 2018 superintendent search. We believe he is the individual best suited to lead Tahoma School District. Mr. Hanson’s skills, experience, and deep knowledge of the district will serve our community well as he transitions to Tahoma’s top leadership position. The board appreciates his ability to identify best practices for student learning and then take action to implement positive changes.
To ensure that Mr. Hanson has a smooth transition to his new role, he will work at Central Services Center for the next four months with Interim Superintendent Mike Maryanski. He also will assist Human Resources Director Mark Koch, who is working on a limited schedule as he undergoes cancer treatment. Dean of Students Scott Mitchell will be interim principal at Shadow Lake Elementary.
As we closely examined each priority on our community-created list, it became clear that Mr. Hanson embodies each of these five key characteristics:
- Leadership: Mr. Hanson’s record as an outstanding leader in our district is undeniable. He has excelled at both the elementary and secondary levels. He is a National Board Certified teacher, and has been a department chair, athletics coach, committee chair/facilitator, dean of students, and principal.
- Communication: Mr. Hanson has a strong sense of what’s best for students. He is known for his authentic communication with students, parents, staff, and community members.
- Visionary/Future Ready: Mr. Hanson is excellent at collaboration and has extensive understanding of curriculum, including helping to create the celebrated Outdoor Academy program at the high school.
- Accountability: Mr. Hanson has a history of setting high expectations for himself and others. He demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to student success and learning.
- Relationship and team building: Mr. Hanson and his team at Shadow Lake Elementary have created an exceptionally strong, inclusive culture and climate. He has a systems-thinking background, including work with other districts in problem solving and developing long-term, strategic goals.
Mr. Hanson describes himself as a proud Tahoma High School alum and, after teaching in two other districts, returned to his alma mater in 1997 to teach science. Above all else, Mr. Hanson models a deep commitment to putting every child at the center of his decisions, and is dedicated to creating world-class learning that helps all of our students thrive.
We invite you to attend the Feb. 25 School Board meeting, at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room at Central Services Center, when we will formally announce Mr. Hanson’s selection.
Sincerely,
Tami Henkel, Board President
Katrina Montgomery, Vice President
Board directors: Malia Hollowell, Pete Miller, Val Paganelli
