Former Marysville schools chief named interim Seattle schools superintendent

Larry Nyland was appointed interim Seattle Schools District superintendent Friday, July 18, 2014.



SEATTLE -- Former Marysville School District Superintendent Larry Nyland was named interim superintendent of the Seattle School District Friday.

Nyland retired in June 2013 after nine years as the Marysville School District superintendent. In 2007, Nyland was named Superintendent of the Year by the Washington School Administrators Association, and he was also a finalist for National Superintendent of the Year.

Nyland replaces outgoing Superintendent José Banda, who on Thursday was appointed Superintendent of Sacramento City Unified School District in California.

Seattle School Board members said they will soon outline a recruitment plan for hiring the next permanent superintendent.

Nyland will start by Aug. 1, and the board is expected to ratify his contract at the Aug. 20 meeting.

“We feel deeply honored and privileged that Dr. Nyland will be stepping in as interim Superintendent,” said Board President Sharon Peaslee. “We hear from people who worked with Dr. Nyland that he is a brilliant visionary and the most outstanding superintendent they have ever known. One of his many strengths is bringing people together around highly effective improvements and solutions.”

This is not Dr. Nyland’s first interim appointment. He served as interim superintendent for the Shoreline School District in 1997.

Before that, he was the Chief Academic Officer and Human Resources Director for six years at Highline Public Schools, and also served as director of the Superintendent Program at Seattle Pacific University, where he also served as an adjunct professor from 1997-2013.

He started his career as a high school teacher in Gig Harbor, spent time as a principal and superintendent in Alaska, and then returned to Washington to become the superintendent of the Pasco School District from 1982-1992.

“My personal mission, no matter what role I’m in, has always been to bring people together to do what it takes to improve student success,” Nyland said. “I am delighted to join Seattle Public Schools to make sure the leadership transition is seamless, and to continue making progress on the five-year Strategic Plan.”

A 1966 Roosevelt High School graduate, Nyland received his Bachelor of Arts, Master’s degree and Doctorate in Education Administration from the University of Washington. He also served on the Dean’s Advisory Council at the UW from 2009-2011.