By Erinn Nelson
Special to the Weekly
For the last nine years, Bill Evans has served the Lopez Island School District. Now he’s stepping down from his position.
“This is the right path for the district,” Lopez School District Superintendent Bill Evans said in a recent column in the Islands’ Weekly.
Evans announced his plans to resign in order to create a new position of superintendent/finance director in the wake of some financial oversight by the school district. He closed his column saying, “Thank you for the honor of being your superintendent.”
Evans recommended to the school board to begin the process of recruiting for his replacement, which will take place in the next few weeks.
“We need a superintendent whose skills include a high degree of financial savvy, to complement the outsourcing of financial services and provide the necessary oversight of that sourcing.” Evans said.
For now, Evans will continue his duties as superintendent and said that, “I pledged my full energies towards assisting in the transition to a new superintendent and the restructuring of the district office, and I shared that I would be available for as long as needed.”
It is unclear how long that will be. Evans said it could be up to a calendar year to restructure and recruit for the position. After it is filled Evans is unsure what he will do, if he will stay on Lopez or seek work with a nonprofit such as the Boys and Girls Club.
“I don’t want to quit serving people,” Evans said of his future possibilities.
From childhood Evans knew he wanted to work with people.
Evans said, “As with a lot of kids following in my parents footsteps was not at the top of the list.”
He aspired to be a lawyer or a park ranger, the latter which he tried for a few years.
Eventually he did follow in his parents’ footsteps and became a teacher in 1976 in Coupeville, Wash. About half of his 40 year career in education was spent in the classroom, and then he transitioned to administrative work. He has been the superintendent for Lopez School District since 2005, taking a one-year retirement in 2010 before being asked to return as interim superintendent and then being rehired to fill the position permanently.
When he moved to Lopez in 2005 Evans said, “This is the kind of place I’d been looking for most of my career.”
To Evans, Lopez is a special, unique place and of the school district he said, “I am proud. This staff is amazing, as is the community support.” He also said, “I want to share my appreciation for being able to be in this place for so many years.”
His favorite part of being a superintendent has been to help create the opportunity for children and adults to realize their potential. “I like to help grow people,” Evans said.
