Contact: Craig Birnbach, 360-604-4164. craig.birnbach@evergreenps.org
Evergreen Public Schools Superintendent John Boyd Announces Retirement
The veteran educator has served as interim superintendent since February 2022
Vancouver, Wash. (April 17, 2024) – John Boyd, whose leadership has guided Evergreen Public Schools through a time of significant challenges that have hit public schools throughout the region and country, announced Wednesday that he will retire as Superintendent at the end of the school year.
Superintendent Boyd’s retirement, on June 30, will close an education career that spans over three decades as a teacher, principal and administrator. He has served as EPS Superintendent since February 2022.
“This was a difficult decision but after speaking with my family, we have decided this is the right time for me to retire,” Boyd said. “I appreciate the EPS Board of Directors trusting me to lead this district. It has been a privilege to serve the Evergreen community and work alongside a staff that is dedicated to serving and supporting our amazing students.”
The Board of Directors will convene a special board meeting Monday (April 22) at 6 p.m. to discuss the process and timeline for hiring the next superintendent. Hiring the superintendent is one of the elected board’s main responsibilities.
“As a Board, we would have liked for Superintendent Boyd to stay on longer but we wish him the best in his retirement,” said Rob Perkins, Board president. “We want to thank John for his hard work and the dedication he has shown our students and our entire school community. John has led us through some challenging times and he has done so with compassion, integrity and a focus on making decisions that best serve our students.”
Superintendent Boyd was hired as interim superintendent in February 2022 and was named the permanent superintendent in February 2023. Under his leadership the district passed an Educational Programs and Operational levy in April 2022. He helped bring the district back to normal learning after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also oversaw the creation of a new Strategic Plan that will guide the district’s work through 2027 and the opening of five new state-of-the-art school buildings that replaced aging structures and were paid for by the 2018 Envision Evergreen Bond initiative. He also navigated leadership challenges, including a teachers’ work stoppage and budget reductions.
Boyd plans to spend time with his wife and his three grown children.
“While I am looking forward to my retirement, my wife and I will continue to be strong advocates for Evergreen Public Schools and the Vancouver community,” Boyd said. “Even though we faced a great deal of adversity together, we have aligned our system with a Strategic Plan that prioritizes belonging and success to support students. I am excited to watch Evergreen’s talented staff continue this critical work.”
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About Evergreen Public Schools: With more than 22,000 students in 38 schools in the city of Vancouver, Evergreen Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Washington. The district was founded in 1945, when nine schools from eight different districts came together.