Morocco RPCV Dale Kinsey will retire in June, after 16 years leading the Bellingham School District



"One of the important things for any superintendent is to be resilient, to be a listener, to be able to try and incorporate lots of different opinions and ideas into the actions that are taken, to care about kids," Kinsley said. "It's a job that calls for ... being a learner."

Morocco RPCV Dale Kinsey will retire in June, after 16 years leading the Bellingham School District

Schools chief Kinsley retiring

Time right, says superintendent

Serena Lei

Caption: Bellingham Schools Superintendent Dale Kinsley reads a book about frogs to Leanne Uttech's kindergarten class at Columbia Elementary School on Thursday. Kinsley intends to retire at the end of the school year, which is his 16th year as superintendent. Photo: Niki Desautels

Within the next month, the Bellingham School Board will hire an outside consultant to help conduct a search for a new superintendent.

The public will be able to comment on what qualities a new superintendent should have and will be able to meet the candidates.

The board will make the final decision on who to appoint.

Board President Ken Gass expects the search to take four to six months.

Superintendent Dale Kinsley announced Thursday that he will retire in June, after 16 years leading the Bellingham School District.

The Bellingham School Board accepted his resignation at its meeting Thursday night.

"It's been an emotional up-and-down week," Kinsley told the board. "I am deeply grateful that I had a chance to help build this organization."

On Thursday, Kinsley's wife, Cheryll Greenwood Kinsley, who said she's attended only one other board meeting in her husband's career, was in the audience.

"I didn't want to miss this," she said.

The Bellingham School Board will be responsible for finding Kinsley's replacement, a process Board President Ken Gass said likely will take four to six months.

"The selection of a new superintendent is the most important job of school board members, so we certainly take it seriously," Gass said. "Although it's our primary task, we'll certainly need input from a consultant, as well as from the community."

Kinsley, 64, said he is retiring now because the time feels right for a smooth transition. His last day will be June 30.

Since 1991, Kinsley has led the district through changes in curriculum and learning expectations, the building of four new schools, technology upgrades and the approval of more than $130 million worth of bond issues.

During that time, the district has grown from 9,000 students to nearly 11,000.

"The thing I'm proudest of is the learning community we built," Kinsley said. "And the effort to transform every one of our schools where all our kids can be and are expected to be successful learners."

Gass said he's always been impressed by Kinsley's desire to go the extra mile.

"He's just a consummate professional, skilled in many ways," Gass said. "He is very organized and thorough and knowledgeable."

Kinsley's interest in education was confirmed during a two-year stint as a Peace Corps teacher in Morocco in 1964. He later taught high school and middle school, as well as a teacher preparation program at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Prior to coming to Bellingham, Kinsley was superintendent of Santa Cruz City School District in California for 10 years.

"One of the important things for any superintendent is to be resilient, to be a listener, to be able to try and incorporate lots of different opinions and ideas into the actions that are taken, to care about kids," Kinsley said. "It's a job that calls for ... being a learner."

Kinsley said he has no plans yet for when he retires. Although he will support public education after retirement, Kinsley said he won't likely be attending future school board meetings.

"I don't intend to be meddling around," Kinsley said. "I have my health and my family wants more of my time and I want to give them more of my time."

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Headlines: October, 2006; COS - Morocco; Secondary Education

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