Board appoints Meek new schools chief

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School Board on Thursday unanimously approved the appointment of Joshua Meek as the district’s new superintendent, following the resignation of current superintendent Michelle Price.

Meek currently serves as the assistant superintendent, a post he has held since 2015. Prior to that, Meek had served as the principal of Moses Lake High School since 2009.

“One of the most important responsibilities of this board is the selection of a superintendent,” said School Board President Kevin Donovan. “That person implements the school board’s vision.”

“We want a seamless transition,” Donovan added. “I believe we have found our superintendent.”

Meek, who will begin his new post on July 1, said this was a “humbling moment” for him.

“I am very much looking forward to this,” he said. “I’ve been a part of this community for a long time.”

Price announced her resignation Thursday morning after accepting the post of superintendent with the North Central Educational Service District (NCESD), a organization which assists schools and districts in Grant, Douglas, Chelan, and Okanogan counties.

ESD’s provide training for teachers and administrators, as well as essential services and staff to smaller districts they might not be able to afford themselves, Price said. They also help translate state policies into ways and means school districts can work with.

There are 29 districts in the NCESD, though Price emphasized that the Moses Lake School district is the region’s largest. Washington state is divided up into 11 educational service districts, of which the North-Central is the second largest.

Price, who will continue serving as the Moses Lakes schools chief until the end of June, has said she is not sure how she will handle living in Moses Lake and working in Wenatchee, where the NCESD offices are located.

“My kids are here, my family is here, whether we move or commute, we’re still considering the options,” she said.

The board also unanimously accepted Price’s resignation, an act Donovan called “bittersweet.”

“You have a wonderful opportunity ahead of you,” he said. “I am proud of your accomplishments and incredibly grateful for what you’ve done for the kids of Moses Lake.”

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com