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@TigardTualSD
Tigard, OR. -- After 33 years in education and the majority of that dedicated to the Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD), Assistant Superintendent Karen Twain announced Thursday that she will retire at the end of June 2019. Twain plans to continue her advocacy work for education by joining the Children’s Institute in July.
Hired as a learning specialist to implement the district’s first special education inclusion program, Twain has served as a counselor at all grade levels; a vice principal at the high school level, and principal at the elementary school level. She also served as the district’s Director of Alternative Programs responsible for creating and implementing the Tigard-Tualatin Online Academy. During the 1998-99 School Year, Karen was named Tigard Teacher of the Year.
Her contributions to academic leadership has created opportunities for students across Oregon. In 2011, Karen chaired the committee that successfully led legislators to approve a bill requiring Oregon school districts to provide full-day kindergarten. In 2014, Twain served as an “Executive on Loan” for the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Education Investment Board as the Director of Early Literacy. In this role, she led the Governor’s Reading Initiative dedicated to getting all students to reading goals by third grade, and the statewide implementation of full-day kindergarten. In 2015, Karen returned to TTSD to serve as the district’s assistant superintendent.
“I have been blessed to work in the Tigard-Tualatin School District over the last 33 years where excellence is the standard,” said Twain. “The relationships that I have developed with students, families, and staff will stay with me forever. The work we have done together has been meaningful and transformational and I plan to carry that into my next professional experience.”
A champion for equity, inclusion as well as early childhood education, Karen has been at the forefront of bringing innovative programming to TTSD. As the principal at Metzger Elementary School, she led the efforts that earned the school four “Closing the Achievement Gap” awards, recognizing outstanding performance by all demographic groups of students in both reading and math. While at Metzger, Karen implemented the school’s first full-day kindergarten available for all students.
In July 2019, Karen will further her passion for early learning by transitioning to the role of Director of Programs for the Children's Institute. There, she will continue her critical work in early learning to ensure that every child is prepared for success in school and life.