This summer Rich Stewart was named La Conner School District’s Interim Superintendent. Stewart replaces previous superintendent Whitney Meissner who led the district for three years. Meissner recently accepted a position as the director of secondary education at the Lake Washington School District.
Stewart is a seasoned educator coming to the position with over 45 years of experience in education, most recently as the interim superintendent in the Kittitas School District. Over the course of his career, Stewart has worked in 18 school districts, all of which were rural.
In his role as interim superintendent, Stewart’s goal is to help the board of directors find the next leader of the La Conner School District and to continue in the direction the district has decided. Stewart said, “I love my career in education and enjoy developing positive relationships in the educational community.” Despite the uncertainty of COVID-19 and its impact upon the start of school, Stewart hopes to help La Conner School District navigate uncharted waters for students and schools in the fall.
On a personal note, Stewart resides in Ferndale with his wife Deanna, who is also a former educator. The Stewarts have five children and 11 grandchildren and enjoy spending time with them as much as schedules allow.
