Editor’s note: On Monday, at the Orcas Island School Board meeting, a motion was then made by Tony P. Ghazel and seconded by Chris Sutton to offer an employment contract to Eric Webb, pending mutual agreement by both parties. The motion passed unanimously. Below is a look at each candidate.
by MEREDITH GRIFFITH and ERINN NELSON
Sounder contributors
The Orcas community came equipped with questions for the superintendent candidates at a recent series of meetings.
Orcas Island School District is searching for a new superintendent after long-time superintendent Barbara Kline announced her retirement earlier this year. The candidates are Russell Pickett from Washington, Jane Babcock from Iowa and Eric Webb from Oklahoma. All are currently superintendents who have extensive experience in public education.
Pickett has been the superintendent of the Tenino School District for the last six years. Prior to that he was an elementary and middle school building administrator, and before that was in the classroom for 19 years. He spent 28 years in Rainier, Ore. before moving to Tenino, which is located near Olympia, Wash.
When asked what caught his attention about the position he said, it’s “the right size,” that it is a K-12 district, that he has experience embedding himself in small communities, and that the “location would be joyous to relocate to.”
When asked what he likes about working with kids, Pickett said, “Kids are genuine.” He enjoys watching them “shine as they improve and be proud of being successful.”
Webb worked as an elementary through high school teacher before obtaining his administration certification. He served as assistant principal in Texas, then moved to Oklahoma to his current district of 1,400 students and 125 staff. There Webb spent four years as a middle school principal, six years as an assistant superintendent, and is currently serving as both assistant and interim superintendent. Webb has two kids who play in the band and says music is very important.
“That’s the hook that motivates them and gets them to school,” he said. Webb says he loves the Northwest.
Babcock earned her administrative and superintendent graduate degrees from Drake University, and has spent her working time in Iowa state. She taught fourth to sixth grade English for nine years before becoming a principal, then spent 18 more years in administration, including seven years as an assistant superintendent. Her current district of Prairie City Monroe has 1,060 students.
Babcock said she’s a collaborative leader who likes to get out and be with people, to get input from the community and to communicate with media outlets. She said music is highly valued, along with other activities that keep kids connected.
Babcock has experience with online/alternative learning programs like OASIS, and her own children have used such programs in the past.
