By Shira Stahl, Reporter
The date of superintendent Michael Soltman’s retirement bears ever nearer, and the search for the next superintendent has been an intense process for both the school board and the candidates.
The board interviewed six potential candidates on March 24, and three finalists were selected: Dr. Eric Hong, Dr. Shaun Carey and Dr. Slade McSheehy. Each finalist then had a day to tour the schools, participate in meetings, and meet staff and students.
After a board meeting the evening of March 29, McSheehy was pronounced the new superintendent.
Having grown up in Fruitland Park, Florida, a small town similar to Vashon in size, McSheehy is excited about Vashon’s natural setting and about being a part of the island’s community.
“I’m looking forward to the move and seeing my own kids in Vashon schools,” McSheehy said. “Moving to a new city always takes some time to adjust. However, I chose Vashon because of its values, so I’m eager to learn more about the community.”
McSheehy has passion for his job and is excited to bring that to the district.
“I love to learn and grow, and [from] what I’ve seen from this community, that aligns really well,” McSheehy said.
Prior to getting the job, McSheehy stayed on Vashon for some time to get a feel for the island. He attended the high school’s student vs. staff basketball game and was struck by the excitement of everyone in the gymnasium.
“I want students to feel like they belong and I want them to feel like everyday at school is a ‘home game,’” McSheehy said.
McSheehy values student voices and thinks that student representation at board meetings is a great way to ensure their influence within the district.
In his initial interview with the board, he also focused on leading by example, which he later described his leadership style to be. He hopes to motivate teachers to do the same.
“I love seeing, when I walk into a classroom, a big question on the board that really makes kids have to critically think and communicate with each other,” McSheehy said.
Additionally, he sees students’ mental health as extremely important and intends to do everything he can to make sure all students’ needs are being met.
“Every student has to feel connected, I feel, to an adult in the building to feel emotionally safe,” McSheehy said. “When kids don’t feel safe and connected, they can’t be as successful.”
He is also aware of the mounting need for student safety. His goal is to increase the amount of trauma training teachers receive and better equip them with the skills they need to help all students.
“The primary objective of the building is to make sure everyone feels safe, but also, they must be learning,” McSheehy said.
He believes that vertical alignment between the schools is crucial and will help to create an environment where all three schools can thrive as one cohesive district.
McSheehy looks forward to promoting the interests of students in all three schools. However, he feels that he may have started out on the wrong foot with VHS due to the fact that he misheard a question during the meeting on March 28 with the high schoolers.
A student asked McSheehy about his position on the all-gender bathrooms, but McSheehy, hearing instead the term “transgender bathrooms,” claimed that he was on the fence about the issue.
“When I understood how the students felt after my time with them, I felt horrible that they walked away feeling uncertain on my support,” McSheehy said.
He will be speaking with the Queer Straight Alliance on Friday, April 6, to clarify the misunderstanding and share how important the issue is to him.
In fact, McSheehy shared the work of Vashon students with the administration of Hockinson School District, with whom he currently works.
“[Vashon’s] work could really help Hockinson, which is a traditionally conservative district, move forward,” McSheehy said.
Additionally, prior to his visit to Vashon, McSheehy pushed for WSSDA Board Policy 3211 to be passed. The WSSDA Board Policy 3211 is a bill to prevent the bullying and promote the supporting of transgender students within schools.
“The students of Vashon have much to be proud in their work towards creating equitable and safe schools,” McSheehy said. “I look forward to working with all of Vashon’s students in the future to continue this critical work.”
McSheehy strongly believes in pursuing his goals and staying true to his promises to students and staff.
“My approach is setting a plan and following through … follow-through leads to integrity, that builds trust,” he said. “You can’t get to the rigor without relationships and trust.”
Throughout his many years of educational work, McSheehy has been an elementary and middle school counselor, elementary and middle school teacher, high school assistant principal and principal, and assistant superintendent.
McSheehy, his wife Kelli and their two sons, Gus, 13, and Hank, 10, currently live in Vancouver, Washington, where McSheehy works in the Hockinson School District as the Assistant Superintendent, a post he will continue to hold until he takes his position in the Vashon School District administration on July 1, 2018.