North Kitsap School District interim superintendent Rachel Davenport was appointed by the school board to the permanent position at its Nov. 14 meeting.

Her contract will run through the end of the 2027-28 school year.

“Davenport has demonstrated the strong, trustworthy leadership that our district values, creating a supportive environment that prioritizes students, staff, and the community,” an NKSD news release states. “(She) has focused on transparency, integrity, and a commitment to open communication, engaging authentically with students, families, and staff. Her steady presence in our schools and in the community has fostered a collaborative culture grounded in mutual respect, trust, and a shared commitment to every student’s success.”

The board previously cited positive feedback from staff, students, families and broader community about Davenport’s performance as potential reasons to give her the permanent title. Another factor the board mentioned was avoiding going through an “extensive and costly” superintendent search. Prior to her appointment, the board put out a community survey Nov. 1 asking what qualities and characteristics the new superintendent should have, which garnered about 150 responses.

“This decision was informed by valuable feedback gathered from North Kitsap staff, families, and community members, who emphasized the importance of compassionate leadership, clear communication, meaningful connections with the community and local tribes, and a focus on keeping students at the center of every decision,” the release states.

Three public commenters spoke at the meeting and all were opposed to the district appointing Davenport as superintendent without going through an official search process.

“We need to a comprehensive search for the most qualified candidate,” Kelly Rosenbach said. “Although I do appreciate what the interim superintendent has done, as what we all understood it was supposed to be a temporary fill-in. We need someone with more experience as a superintendent, and someone who falls outside the realm of our former superintendent’s leadership team. We don’t need to look much further than the mirror to see our district needs a more diverse staff. We should not simply place a person in this vitally important position based on saving time or money.”

Terri Schumacher asked, “If you choose not to hold the superintendent search, how do you justify a selection process for a school’s principal?” She said one of the highest-paid public positions in the county “merits the time, effort and expense of a search. Our community deserves to pick from the best.”

Wolfle teacher Nat Smith also spoke in favor of a thorough selection process. “Where’s the evidence that she’ll be better than the competition? Just because I hear good things from some people doesn’t guarantee that sentiment is widely shared. Calling for a competitive process in this hiring is in no way voicing disapproval of the acting superintendent.”

Davenport was named interim superintendent through the 2024-25 school year in March following the resignation of Laurynn Evans. She was previously the district’s executive director of human resources and was appointed to the position following the Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office filing a misdemeanor charge against Evans Feb. 21, which was later dismissed. Evans was charged for removing or defacing political advertising regarding her alleged involvement in the theft, damage and displacing of campaign signs that were opposed to the district’s failed bond measure.

Joining NKSD in 2012, Davenport began as assistant principal and athletic director at Kingston High School and has also served in other roles over the years such as director of special education, director of technology and director of secondary education.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to step into the role of superintendent,” a statement from Davenport says. “Over the past nine months, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside our dedicated staff, supportive families, and inspiring students, and I am eager to continue building on the foundation we’ve created together. Our community is filled with passionate individuals committed to helping every student thrive, and I look forward to advancing our shared vision and creating new opportunities for growth and success across our district.”