Tillicum Elementary New Principal Forum

The Tillicum community has perhaps a unique opportunity to participate in a forum at which candidates for a new principal at Tillicum Elementary School will be on hand.   

The event takes place in the Tillicum Elementary School gym on Thursday, April 24, at 5 P.M. 

Tillicum residents are invited to share their thoughts with the hiring committee. 

Though it is not to be, Tillicum would want to keep Taj Jensen for the same leadership abilities the district needs him elsewhere. 

Recently Tillicum Elementary was listed among the Washington Achievement Award winners and recognized for making high progress in the areas of reading and math. 

Again. 

Tillicum Elementary School was one of 99 schools in the state having received the 2013 School of Distinction Award, “which recognizes outstanding improvement in student achievement over a five-year period. 

“The award is given by the Center for Educational Effectiveness, the Association of Educational Service Districts, the Association of Washington School Principals, Washington Association of School Administrators and Washington State School Directors’ Association.” 

Tillicum Elementary School is thus one of “the top 5% of schools in our state who have made sustained improvement in reading and math over five years,” according to John P. Welch, Superintendent, Puget Sound Educational Service District. 

Not only scholastically, but also very practically in his five years at Tillicum Elementary, Taj could be found after-hours in the community.  When neighborhood folks gathered to help a hoarder find her way out of a literal pile of possessions - many of which had long since deteriorated but still occupied her dwelling - Taj donned a hazmat suit and joined the rest.   

When the 7-and-8-year-old boys from Taj’s 1st and 2nd grade classes wanted to play baseball, Taj wrote in the recruitment-and-sponsorship promo “For far too long I have been saying that our students are missing out in life lessons that come from organized sports.”   

That team is now a reality. 

And now the Tillicum community gathers to have a voice in who will next serve as principal at Tillicum community. 

The subtitle to the book authored by Suzanne W. Morse, “Smart Communities,” is “How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use Strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future.” 

An excerpt describes the contention of Ray Morley who is consultant to – among others - school superintendents In Iowa.  He writes that when “decision making at the local level includes the stakeholders of staff, students, families, and communities, incredible things can happen.” 

The incredible things that happened under Jensen’s leadership – and the support rendered by the community – is our opportunity. 

Again. 

David Anderson, president

Tillicum Woodbrook Neighborhood Association