Roy Adler, a longtime educator and the current principal of has announced that he will retire as of July 1.
Adler has been on a medical leave of absence, and keeping up with the staff via phone. He said in a letter to parents that his recovery is going well and he is disease free, but follow-up treatment will keep him out of school for the remainder of the school year.
He also said that he has decided after 41 years to reevaluate his priorities, and to turn his focus more to his health and recovery.
Issaquah School District Superintendent Dr. Steve Rasmussen said that is was with "both joy and sadness that I have accepted his retirement letter."
Rasmussen said in a letter to parents this week that under Adler's watch, Pine Lake has won the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the U.S. Department of Education, achieved standardized test scores that are the envy of the state and nation, and created a culture of respect, inquisitiveness, and—perhaps most importantly—fun.
"He has been an outstanding educational leader at Pine Lake for 11 years (with a total of 41 years in education!). And so as reluctant as I am to see him leave Pine Lake, I respect and applaud his decision to focus on his family and his next adventure after going through such a life-changing event," Rasmussen said in the letter.
Rasmussen said he hopes to choose a new principal for the school by early June, and Adler said he plans to stay involved with some school activities, such as playing with the PMLS staff band Staff Infection at Variety Shows and may appear on campus occasionally as a "substitute principal" next year.
