Aberdeen’s co-Superintendents Lynn Green and Traci Sandstrom are under contract through the 2027 school year following a unanimous decision by the Board of Directors at its meeting Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Superintendents Green and Sandstrom, longtime administrators in the district and lifelong friends who grew up on Grays Harbor, were recruited to the position last March on an interim basis following the mid-year resignation of previous superintendent Jeffrey Thake.
Thake was put on paid leave pending an investigation in late April to evaluate a complaint involving a matter that occurred at a school.
Thake, originally from Illinois, last served as chief of the Williston Basin School District in North Dakota, and served as Aberdeen superintendent since the school board selected him unanimously in March 2022.
A month later in late May Thake asked for his resignation from the district.
In June, it was agreed by the board to pilot their co-superintendent model. The School Board has concluded that the shared model is proving to be a good fit for Aberdeen and the one-year contract is now a three-year contract.
“The Board wants to share that we believe this contract is a win for our students, our staff and our community,” President Jennifer Durney said. “These two superintendents could work anywhere and they choose Aberdeen. Their professional careers, their commitment to schools, students, the community and their personal lives embody what it means to be a Harborite.”
President Durney also shared the School Board’s belief that the co-superintendent model maximizes the 61 years of combined experience that Green and Sandstrom bring to the office. Superintendent Green will remain as the district’s CTE director and Superintendent Sandstrom will remain as the district’s Teaching, Learning and Technology director.
Green has specialized in secondary education while Sandstrom’s experience is predominantly elementary and technology. Each will receive half of the superintendent salary and half of their former positions, resulting in a neutral impact on the budget.
“That’s the definition of a two-fer,” President Durney said. “We are very excited about the future of our schools.”
The two superintendents grew up together in Hoquiam, graduating in 1988. They earned their administrative credentials from the same program at Seattle Pacific University in 2006.
Superintendent Green has been Aberdeen’s CTE director since 2000. Superintendent Sandstrom has been the Teaching and Learning and Technology director for Aberdeen since 2017 after more than 20 years in Hoquiam as a teacher, elementary principal and teaching and learning director.
Both superintendents noted the many opportunities and challenges ahead as Aberdeen works to improve student achievement while taking part in the state’s seismic planning process that could see new schools built and others retrofitted to withstand catastrophic events.
“We really appreciate the Board’s faith and confidence in the shared model,” Superintendent Green said. “These past few months have shown us that we are stronger together and we look forward to serving our schools and community in this position.”
Superintendent Sandstrom agreed.
“I am excited about the work going forward on both our facilities and our mission, vision, values and goals that are embedded in the Portrait of a Graduate and we are very appreciative of the Board’s involvement and support in this process,” she said.
