POULSBO — Poulsbo and Suquamish elementary schools will have new principals beginning the 2017-18 school year.
Gwen Lyon, current interim principal at Suquamish Elementary, will become the school’s principal.
“The students, staff, parents, and community have been very welcoming and I’m very excited to continue the work we’ve begun at Suquamish Elementary” Lyon said in an announcement issued by the school district. “Our collaboration and teamwork is very rewarding. I’m honored and look forward to working together for the continued success of our students.”
Lyon joined North Kitsap in 2013 as assistant principal of Kingston High School, where she worked closely with the Native American Education Program. She began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher and music specialist in Monroe. She worked as an educator in Texas for a decade, then returned to Kitsap and joined the Bremerton School District. During her 10 years in Bremerton, she was a music specialist, reading specialist, instructional coach and literacy teacher on special assignment. She was also instrumental in obtaining a grant for the Lorrain Wojahn Dyslexia Pilot Project, and she coordinated the project across the district.
“Gwen has provided instructional leadership, supporting and working alongside the staff at Suquamish Elementary to build a strong climate focusing on serving the students,” Superintendent Patty Page said in the announcement. “We look forward to Gwen continuing her excellent work at Suquamish Elementary.”
Drew Crandall, assistant principal at Kingston High School, has accepted the position of principal of Poulsbo Elementary, succeeding Claudia Alves, who is retiring.
“After a few years of professional growth working in our high schools, it’s exciting for me to return to the energy and opportunities an elementary school provides,” Crandall said in the announcement. “Poulsbo Elementary has a long history of academic excellence and I am looking forward to working closely with the teachers, staff, parents and community to continue its success.”
Crandall began his career teaching English as a Second Language in Japan before moving to Seattle. He spent three years at Seattle’s First Place School, a nonprofit school for homeless youth, where he was a classroom teacher, PE teacher and assistant education director. Crandall taught at Lakeridge Elementary School, in the Renton School District, for six years. He joined North Kitsap in 2014 as a fifth-grade teacher at Wolfle Elementary and second-grade summer school teacher. He was the academic behavior and intervention coach at North Kitsap High School in 2015.
Crandall has a master’s degree in educational leadership, with principal certificate, from City University of Seattle.
Videos of Crandall’s classroom work have been filmed by University of Washington, Teaching Channel, and Sound Discipline for use in improving instructional practices and elementary teacher professional growth.
“We are excited to have Drew’s experience and enthusiasm at Poulsbo Elementary beginning in the upcoming school year,” Page said.
