ESD updates board on superintendent search, new school design

Published 1:45 pm Thursday, February 5, 2026

CORRECTION AND CLARIFICATIONS: The Courier-Herald misreported that the Enumclaw School District board finalized architectural standards, educations specifications, and building sitings; the board received a preliminary site design. Additionally, it was reported that there would be a community outreach event in mid-March; this event is to identify local sub-contractors for construction, and not for the public. Finally, it was clarified that a school name, mascot, and colors will be selected via committee by the end of May.

The Enumclaw School District has a lot on its plate.

First, there’s to be a new elementary school built in Black Diamond; second, the district needs a new superintendent.

The ESD Board of Directors met on Feb. 2 to discuss updates on both major projects with staff.

Here’s what’s going on so far.

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

ESD’s former Superintendent Dr. Shaun Carey resigned suddenly on Jan. 12, leaving board directors to start searching for his replacement. In his place currently is Interim Superintendent Jill Burnes, previously the deputy superintendent.

Right now, the board is waiting for replies from consulting firms to help ESD perform their search.

Invitations to consulting firms were sent out on Jan. 23, with a deadline of Feb. 6.

If there are more than three or four proposals, Board Directors Tyson Gamblin and Paul Fisher will narrow down which firms to invite to a special meeting scheduled for Feb. 23.

The district hopes to hire a consulting firm and start a superintendent search by March 2.

It’s unclear at this time how long a search may take.

SCHOOL DESIGN

The Enumclaw school District is a long ways away from starting to build a new school in the Ten Trails development in Black Diamond.

For those who need a reminder of recent history, the funds for this school are coming from the Ten Trails developer Oakpointe after the district was unable to secure traditional funding means – a.k.a. through a taxpayer bond.

ESD will sell Oakpointe a plot of land it controls in the Ten Trails development for $40 million; Oakpointe is also loaning the district $25 million, to be paid back via mitigation fees collected from housing developers overtime.

The district contracted with Tacoma-based TCF Architecture for design and John Korsmo Construction for construction during its Jan. 20 meeting.

The board has already recieved a preliminary site diagram for the district’s architectural standards, education specifications, and building siting; also complete is the sports field sighting (Oakpointe is gifting the district a further $3 million for the development of two sports fields at the school, both for ESD and the city of Black Diamond to share)

Next up is a meeting of the design advisory committee, tasked with giving input on classroom layouts, educational spaces, tech integration, and more. The first meeting is scheduled for Feb. 12.

An oversight committee is also meeting on Feb. 12 to monitor the project progress and budget.

Both committees will meet together later in the month to forge a community communication strategy and, later in mid-March, identify local sub-contractors to work on this project.

And at the same time, the district will advertise for a planning principal, someone who is typically hired about a year before the opening of the school.

This person manages hiring, prepares operational procedures, builds community identity, and more to help the first year of a new school start out strong.

Until a planning principal is hired, a former employee or principal of the district will work in a consultant capacity to assist with some planning projects. Planning projects to accomplish by the end of May are selecting a school name, mascot and colors via committee.