Special to the Reporter
The Mercer Island School District announced that Katie Gallagher has joined Islander Middle School (IMS) as an associate principal and social emotional learning (SEL) coordinator.
Current IMS co-principal Aaron Miller has joined the district as a half time human resources director and will be half time at IMS during the 2024-25 school year. Gallagher joins the IMS administrative team of Miller, co-principal MaryJo Budzius and associate principal Becky Mullvain.
“It is an incredible honor to join the staff at Islander Middle School full time as an associate principal and SEL coordinator,” said Gallagher. “I am thrilled to continue my journey within this vibrant community. Having taught many of these students in first grade, I look forward to seeing them grow and thrive as sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. I have had the privilege of teaching at two of the elementary schools on the Island, and I am excited to see familiar faces and support students and families as they transition through middle school.”
Gallagher added: “I am particularly excited to continue working on the initiatives we started last year, which have laid a strong foundation for fostering an inclusive and supportive school environment. This school holds a special place in my heart, and I am excited to be part of its future.”
Gallagher has been a first-grade teacher in the Island district since 2018 and was an administrative intern in the 2023-24 school year. Prior to joining the district, Gallagher was a kindergarten teacher at James Sales Elementary in Parkland during the 2017-18 school year.
“We are extremely excited to add Katie to our administrative team,” said Miller. “Her familiarity with the current direction of IMS, as well as her new ideas and perspectives, will be an asset to the students, staff, parents and community at Islander.”
Gallagher graduated from Seattle University in 2016 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. She received her masters of art in teaching from the University of Puget Sound in 2017. Gallagher just completed a two-year certificate program at Seattle University in education administration.
