JOYCE — The Crescent School Board will meet with parents and other community members tonight to start the search for a new school superintendent and principal to replace Clayton Mork.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the school library at 50350 state Highway 112.

Mork, 63, announced his retirement March 24 at the regular School Board meeting, said Trisha Haggerty, chairwoman.

“I’m really sorry to see him go,” she said.

Mork will complete the school year. His last day will be June 30, she said.

Mork was not available for comment Tuesday.

Haggerty said the School Board wants to hear what the community would like to see in a superintendent before it begins the search for Mork’s replacement.

The board has hired the executive recruitment company McPherson Jacobson LLC to assist in finding candidates for the position, she said.

A survey for residents of the Crescent School District is available on the district website at www.crescentschooldistrict.org.

Ideally, a new superintendent-principal would take over July 1, Haggerty said.

Mork took over as the superintendent and principal of the small school district in 2012.

During his four years at Crescent, Mork implemented after-school study programs to help keep students on track for graduation and oversaw the passage of a $400,000 capital levy for repairs and improvements to district buildings.

Mork also helped the district board become more “future-minded,” Haggerty said.

“He really helped us with the structure — our mission, vision and strategic plan. He has us on track for the future,” she said.

The district has 290 students in kindergarten through the 12th grades.

Mork, who was a graduate instructor at Western Washington University immediately before he took the job in Joyce, had been an assistant superintendent at the Bainbridge School District and had served as principal at Woodward Middle School on Bainbridge Island and as assistant middle school principal in the Monroe School District.

At the Crescent School District, he worked as both superintendent and principal of the elementary, middle and high schools, as well as the HomeConnection program.

He holds a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate.

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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.