PORT ANGELES — On top of an estimated 35 teachers that the Port Angeles School District anticipates hiring by the start of the next school year, three school administrator slots have just opened up.
Franklin Elementary School Principal Diann Lavik, Port Angeles High School Assistant Principal Patrick Kane and Stevens Middle School Assistant Principal Monique Flickinger are leaving the district at the end of next month.
The number of openings for teachers and administrators for next school year might increase even more in the coming days, said Ron Spanjer, assistant district superintendent.
“We are continuing to see resignations and retirements come in,” Spanjer said.
Thanks to the uncertainty of whether the district’s maintenance and operations levy would pass or not — it did with nearly 72 percent yes votes last week — the district was forced to wait longer than usual to fill open positions.
Filling the 38 positions is now a top priority for the district’s superintendent, Gary Cohn.
Of the three latest resignations, Lavik had been with the district the longest.
A 2003 KCTS Golden Apple Award-winner, she began her employment with the district in August 1985 and has been principal at Franklin Elementary since July 1999.
Lavik is planning to move to Southern California to be near her daughter and grandchild.
Kane is leaving the district to become principal of Freeman High School in Eastern Washington, while Flickinger is leaving to become principal at Evanston Middle School in Wyoming.
