School District Superintendent Chris Borgen has quietly signed on for another three years at the helm of Anacortes schools. That’s good news on all fronts.

Borgen has shown strong leadership in his first three years as superintendent and is moving Anacortes schools ahead with the help of a strong administrative team and quality teachers. And the community appears more than satisfied with the quality of education in the district and where things are headed.

The School District’s phone survey in September put some numbers behind that satisfaction. When asked about the overall performance of the district, 73 percent of respondents gave the district an A or B — among the highest grades the polling company had found and higher grades than those from a similar survey here in 2001.

At the same time, no real concerns stood out. When asked about a problem or concern they had heard about the district, 35 percent said none. Other issues such as drugs or alcohol in schools, discipline and overcrowding were mentioned by only about 5 percent of respondents.

The School Board is pleased as well, noting that Borgen is on track with the district’s goals of having students well-prepared to start school, move from grade to grade and start their lives after high school.

Big challenges lie ahead, though.

Voters overwhelmingly rejected the $62.9 million school bond in February, and there’s no reason to think a bond of that magnitude will pass any time soon — or even be proposed.

But with high school roofs falling apart, Brodniak Hall a dilapidated embarrassment and crowded and dated career and technology classrooms holding students and teachers back, some things have to be done now. Creative collaborations, the right priorities and careful fiscal management are needed to make the best of a bad situation. Doing nothing and watching the high school continue to fall apart is not an option.

At the same time, school leaders need to keep their eye on 2010, when it will be time for voters to decide on a new school levy to replace the current four-year measure.
The district needs to be well-positioned for that critical election, and under Borgen’s leadership we expect it will be.