Tri-Cities largest school district is looking for a new leader. It’s 2nd in 5 years
The Kennewick School District began accepting applications this week to replace their chief educator.
Superintendent Traci Pierce plans to retire June 30, 2025, capping a 30-year career in public education, the last five were spent in Kennewick.
Her replacement will oversee a district with over 2,000 employees and the education of about 19,500 students in 33 schools. The district operates with a $320 million annual budget.
The Kennewick School Board is looking to hire a deputy-successor superintendent to work alongside Pierce in her final year, as well as oversee the human resources and business services and operations departments.
Deadline to apply is March 8.
Kennewick’s next superintendent will earn a base salary of $187,000 to $210,000, depending on experience, and must have an active teaching certificate. That range is at least $9,000 more than Pierce’s base salary for the 2022-23 school year.
On Feb. 28, the board expects to meet for an hour to prep for interviews with the applicants. On March 13, the board plans a closed-door executive session with consultants to narrow the list for preliminary interviews.
The interviews are scheduled for March 20-21 in a public meeting, where the board will ask about their professional history and qualifications. The board then meets in a closed-door session to determine finalists.
The finalists will interview with community members, staff and the school board on April 8, 9 and 11.
The board then plans to vote to hire an applicant April 12, and after contract negotiations the deputy-successor superintendent will begin work July 1. Exactly a year later, the deputy superintendent would step into the role.
