Assistant Principal Harrington promoted; takes over July 1
Anacortes Middle School Assistant Principal Patrick Harrington isn’t planning any big changes when he takes over the school’s principal position this summer.
“There’s not a lot now I want to change,” Harrington said.
Current Principal Susan Willet announced recently she will be resigning at the end of June.
Superintendent Chris Borgen recommended hiring Harrington for the position at the March 13 School Board meeting. The board is expected to approve the hiring at its next meeting. He starts in the new position July 1.
The district opted not to do a full-blown search because Harrington is qualified for the position, Borgen said.
“We’ve been pleased with his performance for a long time in his role as assistant principal,” he said. “I think he can really move the middle school to the next level.”
Harrington, who was hired as the assistant principal and athletic director in 2003, has been repeatedly contacted by other districts when principal positions opened up. But he and his wife chose to stay in Anacortes.
“We felt like we found the place we were looking for,” he said. “I like the direction the Anacortes School District is going and I want to be part of it.”
Harrington previously taught seventh-grade math in Mukilteo for five years and seventh-grade math in Spokane for two years. He has a background in coaching, including football, basketball and track.
His current salary is about $85,000.
Borgen said the district is deciding whether to hire someone to replace Harrington as the assistant principal.
Borgen said he is grateful for the work Willet has done at the middle school.
“We’re going to miss her,” he said.
Willet plans to move to Arizona with her husband at the end of the school year.
“My husband and I are ready for warmer weather and new vistas,” Willet said.
Willet was hired as principal in July 2001. Her current salary is about $97,800.
She has a long history in the district. She taught remedial and adult courses in the Learning Opportunity Center, reading at Whitney Elementary School and seventh-grade block at the middle school. She served as Whitney’s interim principal and as assistant principal and athletic director at AMS.
She served as interim principal when Jerry Lynch moved up to a position as the School District’s business office manager.
Willet taught at the middle school beginning in 1998. Then, she said it wasn’t a place parents wanted to send their kids.
It was an ugly building and the students were tough.
“Over the years I think we’ve really changed that,” she said. “I hope people would reflect back and think that I helped finish really changing the climate of the middle school.”
Willet said remodeling the building and more parent involvement have helped along the way.
She said having a sense of humor is a requirement to work in middle school.
“If you can’t have a sense of humor about middle school kids this is not a job for you,” she said. “I’m leaving the building in good hands.”
Borgen said Harrington has the rest of the school year to polish the areas he needs to to become principal.
“He’s clearly proven himself in his role as assistant principal,” Borgen said. “He has the capability to be an extraordinary principal.”
Harrington said one thing he wants to do is look into the Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID, program.
It is designed to help underachieving middle and high school students prepare for and succeed in college.
“We have a high interest,” he said. “There are students who are motivated but just are lacking some skills.”
The program offers classes for students and includes field trips to all types of post-secondary options. It also encourages students to take harder classes.
Harrington said Willet has done a superb job being principal and he wants to build on the positive culture at the school.
