Continuing member Bob Hennessey was named chair of the Vashon Island School District’s board of directors at the first meeting of the new board last Thursday.
He replaces outgoing chair Susan Lofland, who led the board through a difficult time the last year or so, including dealing with the resignation of superintendent Mimi Walker and several tough budget issues.
Incoming board member Laura Wishik was elected as vice-chair, and new member Kathy Jones won the seat of legislative representative.
The voters include all five board members only, and the roles can rotate, so that the people in the seats can change each year, although that does not always happen.
Also joining the board on Thursday was long-time board veteran Dan Chasan. John Osborne, like Hennessey, was not up for election.
Chasan, Wishik and Jones were sworn in as new members. They defeated Lofland, Jake Jacobovitch and Gene Lipitz, respectively, in November’s election.
The swearing-in was followed by the elections, and then by recognition of outgoing board members.
Lipitz was the only one of the three outgoing members present for that part of the ceremony. Jacobovitch did not attend, and Lofland left before the new member oaths were taken.
Lipitz took the occasion to deliver a brief prepared parting address.
He said that it had been an honor to serve on the board, and he thanked acting superintendent Terry Lindquist for taking on the job, saying, “Thank you for agreeing to husband our institution through a difficult period. I was elated to see you set down your vision of our schools in the Beachcomber this week for everyone to see. … You, I know, will work hard and well to see that vision made real.”
Lindquist responded in kind, saying of him, “You drill very deep. You are willing to ask the hard questions. It brings something good out in us.”
And he added that without Lipitz’s urging, the current rewriting of the district’s overall policy book, a very large undertaking, would not have happened.
Recognizing that Lipitz and Jacobovitch had worked together on that project, Lindquist said too, “That’s an enormous legacy you and Jake are leaving.”
Hennessey, who has at times been at odds with Lipitz in the board meeting sessions, praised Lipitz for his “passion and dispassion.”
“You never take anything personally,” Hennessey said to Lipitz. “You are a very wise person, and you will be missed.”
Osborne, with a smile, added that Lipitz taught him to use the word “kumbaya” as a verb.
Lindquist also pointed to Jacobovitch’s positive effect during his tenure, referencing Jacobovitch’s successful attempt to arrange with King County for a van for district use. “I really appreciate that extra effort,” Lindquist said.
And of Lofland, Lindquist said, “I wish Susan were here to hear how much I appreciated her chairmanship. I had a sense of trust and simpatico with Susan Lofland. Under her leadership, the departing board has left a great legacy.”
