Letter: Retiring Pasco school superintendent is a priceless community resource

During my tenure on the Pasco School Board, I had the responsibility of making many decisions impacting the lives of our children and community. The most important decision, and the one of which I am proudest, was the decision to vote to hire Saundra Hill as superintendent.

Saundra never wavered in her support for teachers and her quest to provide the best possible educational experiences for all our children. She expanded and enriched district curriculum and strategies, such as STEM schools, the two-way dual language program, rebirth of the orchestra strings program, birth of the mariachi program, the Harvesting Opportunities Promoting Education program, and the business-to-school program Partners in Educating all Kids!

Pasco high schools are experiencing their highest graduation rate in history, the district has seen significant increases in state assessment scores, and more students than ever are taking pre-college entrance exams. These and many more accomplishments were achieved while managing construction of new schools for a rocketing student population growth. It is no wonder she was named Washington State Superintendent of the Year in 2013!

Saundra Hill is a priceless community resource. She will be missed as she begins her richly deserved retirement on June 30.

This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 5:05 AM with the headline "Letter: Retiring Pasco school superintendent is a priceless community resource."