Grapeview's new boss aims to steer steady course

Kirk Boxleitner | Sep 01, 20220

Gordon Weeks count

Gerry Grubbs is Grapeview School District's new superintendent.

While the Grapeview School District has hired a handful of new folks and moved some familiar faces into new roles, even its biggest changes in the coming school year aim to keep the district on an even keel.

Kurt Hilyard is no longer superintendent, but his replacement, Gerry Grubbs, is no stranger to Grapeview. Grubbs interned under Hilyard for the past two years as part of the Washington State University superintendent certification program.

"I'd already known and admired Kurt, so I was happy to have him as a mentor," said Grubbs, who has also worked as a part-time superintendent for a small district in Eastern Washington.

Grubbs opted to stay at Grapeview, not just because it's closer to home for his family - his wife, Nikki, is a former superintendent of the Hood Canal School District - but also because he said he found it a "marvelous" haven for education, with programs, staff and leadership he considered impressive enough that all they needed was the opportunity to continue their good work.

"There's no need to fix anything serious here," Grubbs said. "This isn't a struggling school district. We can try to anticipate the unexpected by emphasizing overall safety, as we plan to do in talks with the sheriff. And while the pandemic is receding, we'll continue to exercise caution."

One COVID-19 restriction Grubbs said he was happy to see lifted was the return of the district's in-person open house, which was Monday evening.

"Ours is an entire community devoted to student learning, but because of pandemic concerns, everyone held each other at arm's length for so long," Grubbs said. "Our surrounding community has always been very supportive. They wanted to return to school, and we certainly wanted to welcome back their volunteer spirit."

One change parents can expect in the new school year is one that Grubbs declines any credit for because it was set in motion by school staff some time ago.

Although Grubbs is still familiarizing himself with the new English language arts curriculum that Grapeview is rolling out this fall, he's encouraged by the enthusiasm that staff members have expressed for the upgrade.

"Any way we can help our students become higher achievers, whether by supporting their enrichment or remediation, are positive steps," Grubbs said.

One change Grubbs is taking an active role in involves the potential hiring of a part-time trained counselor for the district, although Grubbs added that the effort remains under discussion.

Grubbs said he believes the presence of an on-site counselor for the school would help serve the mental, emotional and social needs of "the whole kid," which he deemed in keeping with the ethos of Grapeview.