Lynden superintendent candidate Tavis Peterson believes in intentionality, collaboration, transparency and good communication.
His interest in education administration was piqued during his time as a counselor in a small district where he found himself working in different areas and doing odd jobs. From there, he became a school principal and later, an assistant superintendent and tribal liaison in the Wapato School District, Yakima County.
During his time on the job and while pursuing more education degrees, he discovered the value of multi-tiered learning systems that support students based on their social and emotional needs.
“Sometimes when students aren’t meeting the expectations, we have to move into social support,” Peterson said at a March 29 community forum at Lynden Middle School. “It doesn’t mean they don’t have consequences. Sometimes, we have to understand where that behavior is originating from and address that.”
Addressing these needs will help the district achieve equity for all students. Peterson said everyone can agree that they want third graders at state reading standards, ninth-graders understanding algebra and all seniors graduating on time. He wants students at different schools and in different grades to have equitable experiences and educations, and acknowledging students’ different backgrounds will help the school district meet their individual needs.
He said as superintendent, it may be difficult to balance all the different aspects of the jobs. Through all of it, he wants to involve the schools and the community and work through disagreements and issues together.
“I want to listen, I want to learn, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to get a, ‘Yes,’” he said.
He said he knows it would be his job to be an insulator of the new curriculum and new ideas that come into the district.
“There’s always hot topics. You need to determine whether or not they need to be included in our school system,” he said. “If they’re going to divert us from our core mission, we need to be very cautious to see if that needs to come in.”
As for school funding, he said he has been heavily involved in successful levies, has peripheral experience with bonds and has managed budgets. He believes in providing for schools.
“My thought on budget is always have a very safe and comfortable fund balance or reserve amount,” he said. “Then the rest we’re putting to work to equip our teachers and our employees with the tools they need to educate our students.”
As someone from outside the community, he will have a lot to learn about Lynden, but forum attendees praised his assuredness.
“It’s just been a rocky few years,” parent Naomi Jenkins said. “To have somebody who’s going to come in and have foresight and be putting a plan forward… I think that is needed right now.”
Peterson was the second candidate to meet with the community this week. David VanderYacht went on March 28 and Lisa Riggs will go on March 30 at 6:15 p.m. at Lynden Middle School. The board will announce their pick on March 31.
The new superintendent will begin July 1 and be responsible for managing the district’s five schools and the multi-million-dollar budget.
