School board confirms new superintendent

Hugh McMillan, KP News

The Peninsula School District Board of Directors in March hired Terry Bouck as the new superintendent. Bouck currently is the Tacoma schools’ assistant superintendent of middle schools, has been a local resident for 15 years and lives in the Wauna area of the Key Peninsula. Of his three children and two stepchildren, three have attended schools in the Peninsula School District and his youngest stepson, Kyle Anderson, will graduate from Peninsula High School this year. Bouck’s wife, Kristy, is an elementary school teacher in the South Kitsap School District.

Among his many experiences in the education field, Bouck served as superintendent of the American International School in Lagos, Nigeria, as part of an exchange program with the Tacoma School District. He was principal of Jason Lee Middle School when the Dale Chihuly Glass Arts program was launched. During his tenure there, student enrollment that had been on the decline because of the school’s poor reputation, made a marked turnaround and almost doubled.

Former state senator, now teacher at Jason Lee, Bill Smitherman and his wife, Karen, also a teacher in Tacoma schools, have long known and worked with Bouck, and according to Karen, know him to be a very hard-working, dedicated professional who gets things done.

Assistant Superintendent of Peninsula Schools Bob Connelly said, “I really haven’t had a chance to get to know him yet but can say that I’ve heard nothing but good things about him. He is student-centered and community oriented.”

Bouck’s secretary in Tacoma, Phyllis Mjorud, described him as “energetic, honest, a man of his word, trustworthy, and people oriented.”

Before the School Board’s confirmation, Bouck told the audience in the forum, “I’m a hard worker because I love what I do. If I get the job, I intend to be in the schools, the classrooms, with the teachers and parents. The paperwork will be handled after hours and on weekends. I want to be with the kids; that’s where I belong.”

Outgoing Superintendent Jim Coolican said, “You’ll be very happy with Terry. He’s strong, knowledgeable, committed to the students, and will be very involved with his community.”