Lake Washington Superintendent Chip Kimball to Step Down After 2011-12 Year

Chip Kimball, superintendent of Lake Washington School District, announced Wednesday that the 2011-12 school year will be his last in that position.

“After extensive soul searching and deliberation, my wife Cheryl and I have decided to spend the next phase of our personal and professional lives overseas,” said Kimball.

“Beginning in the summer of 2012, I will serve as the superintendent of the Singapore American School in Singapore.”

Kimball noted that his decision was a very difficult one, made only after much deliberation with his family.

In describing his reasons for taking advantage of this opportunity, Kimball noted, “For most of my career I have spoken about globalization and how our students will need to compete internationally. This position will give me the opportunity to see this dynamic first hand, in one of the centers of economic activity in Asia. And I will be able to bring all that I have learned and seen in Lake Washington to another part of the world.”

“As a board, we are dismayed to learn that Dr. Kimball will be leaving us while at the same time we are happy for him and his family in their new endeavors,” said Jackie Pendergrass, president of the board of directors for Lake Washington School District.

“His leadership has been instrumental in the strong direction of our district. The good news is that he will leave the district in a very good position.”

The board will begin looking at options for filling the superintendent’s position, keeping the best interests of district students and staff in mind.

Kimball took over as superintendent on July 1, 2007, succeeding Don Saul, who served in that role from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2007.

Kimball came to the District in 1996 and was promoted to Deputy Superintendent in 2006, in charge of all educational programs. He served as the District’s chief information officer while also supervising the Eastlake region of the district.

Kimball began his career as a high school science teacher in Madera, Calif. He received an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California in 1995 and a Master of Science degree from Eastern Washington University in 1991.

-- This information is from a news release.