The Mercer Island School Board welcomed Dr. Nancy Loorem as the new Island Park interim principal during their meeting last Thursday. Loorem will replace Kathy Morrison, who in turn has replaced Associate Superintendent Gary Plano while he fills the position of interim superintendent.

“I can’t seem to hear enough good things about Island Park,” Loorem said. “I’m so delighted to be a part of this school.”

Loorem has worked in the Bellevue School District for 23 years. Most of her career has focused on elementary education, serving a classroom teacher, ELL teacher and principal of two elementary schools. She also worked as assistant superintendent for preschool through grade 12.

The new Island Park principal holds both a master’s degree in education from Western Washington University and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Washington.

Loorem included, there are now five interim positions being held within the MISD: Pat Blix serves as interim principal of West Mercer; Sharon Gillapsie, former principal of Islander Middle School, as interim director of testing and evaluation; Morrison as interim associate superintendent; and Plano as interim superintendent.

Despite the temporary status of these positions, Plano said the district has kept — and will continue to keep — right on track in its mission.

“We haven’t skipped a beat,” he said. “The interim situation has worked out remarkably well because we have such top-notch people working in these jobs.”

Blix, who was selected as interim principal in 2006, agreed to hold the position for one year. She was so appreciated, Plano said, that the district asked if she would continue on another year. Blix agreed and is back at West Mercer for 2007-08.

Meanwhile, it remains the School Board’s responsibility to find permanent administrators to fill all five positions, a task that is being put on hold for next month’s newly elected board.

“Once the new board is formed [on Nov. 29], the first major decision they will need to make is what to do about the superintendent’s job because that will have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the jobs,” Plano said.

As of present, the district’s five interim administrators will continue through the 2007-08 school year. And because the majority of these interims have past experience within the district, Plano expects to continue the MISD agenda without pause.

“Even though people may have an interim title, our work is continuing. There has been no hesitation in serving the children of this district,” he said.