BURBANK, WA -- The Columbia School District Board of Directors announces Todd Hilberg as the new district superintendent, effective July 1, 2018 upon retirement of current Superintendent Dr. Lou Gates.
Mr. Hilberg was one of three finalists identified by the Board of Directors on March 7. The school district, with the aid of Educational Service District 123, began its search for a successor superintendent following Dr. Gates' formal retirement announcement in November 2017. Dr. Gates is retiring after 40 years in education.
According to Brad O'Brien, Columbia School Board Chair, "Mr. Hilberg's name kept rising to the top" throughout the superintendent search process.
"We are very excited for the future of [the] Columbia schools, and we look forward to working with Mr. Hilberg," says O'Brien.
Currently a Superintendent Intern and high school principal for the Selah School District, Mr. Hilberg has 13 years of school administration experience. He is also a familiar figure to the Columbia School District and Burbank community, having worked there as an elementary school teacher and then as middle school Dean of Students until 2007.
"I am thrilled and honored to join the dedicated team of professionals in the Columbia School District," says Hilberg. "As the next superintendent, I look forward to working collaboratively with the school board, staff, parents and community to continue making educational excellence a priority. As a former CSD alum, I am excited to bring my family back to Burbank. I would like to thank the school board and community for your support."
Columbia School District has utilized the services of ESD 123 to conduct their superintendent search. For more information, contact Molly Curtiss at 509.544.5787 or mcurtiss@esd123.org.
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