After 41 years in education, Marcia Harris leaves school board

Marcia Harris describes public education as the single most important work in the country. Since 1974, she has dedicated 41 years of her life to it.

“Being able to read and write, being able to have a responsibility for what is going on in the country, being able to analyze and make decisions,” Harris said. “These are learned though public education. Public education provides for all youth across the country, whether they are rich or poor.”

Harris, a board member for the Peninsula School District, will be retiring after her last board meeting on Dec. 18.

Harris first retired in 2012. Four years ago, she began looking for someone to run for an open school board position, but many urged her to take on the responsibility herself.

“I ran because I wanted to focus on highlighting and keeping the voice of the Key Peninsula as part of the school board’s conversation, and I really feel like that is what I’ve done over the last four years,” Harris said.

Harris has worked in many school districts across the state, ranging from a school board member to superintendent. She began her career with the state Office of Public Instruction, then worked in financial compliance with the Mabton School District, near Yakima. Eventually she became superintendent of the Chimacum School District.

Born In Michigan, Harris graduated from Kansas State University and earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Puget Sound and studied toward a doctorate in educational leadership at Gonzaga University.

She said almost all of the districts she has worked in suffer from one common problem: lack of money. The Peninsula School District was no different.

“The Peninsula had some financial challenges when I came in,” Harris said, “but with the leadership of the board and superintendent we made a big difference in the school and the district.”

Last year, the board was able to pass a bond which will contribute to the building of two new elementary schools and remodeling of two existing schools.

“The school board has done some remarkable things in the last year or two and passing the bond is just icing on the cake,” she said.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Art Jarvis described Harris as a very talented, professional individual with a passion to serve her community.

Jarvis said to have a board member with a vast knowledge of the financial system is unusual in a district. He said staff can approach Harris with almost any problem and she will have steps to a solution.

“For people like me to have a Marcia Harris on the board who understands all the operations of the school district was a gift,” Jarvis said.

When districts are in a financial crisis, Jarvis said, a strong personality who can articulate a message to the community is a necessity. Harris meets these needs resulting in many districts reaching out to her once financial struggles present themselves.

“If a district is in financial struggle you’ll be laying off staff, cutting people,” Jarvis said. “When you are doing this you are deeply into seniority issues and union issues and a lack of trust and confidence in the system. You need to rebuild all of that.”

Fellow board member Deborah Krishnadasan said the Peninsula School District has greatly benefited from Marcia’s knowledge during her term.

“We work well together,” Krishnadasan said. “I learned from her extensive knowledge in school operations. By example, she taught me what to focus on, especially in terms of budgeting.”

For the second time in her life, Harris is now choosing to retire. She said her and her husband, Jeff Harris, are planning to travel abroad.

“When you are on the school board you organize your schedule on when the school board meetings are, so being away for two or three weeks is hard to do,” Harris said.

She is so school-oriented that she describes her Key Peninsula home as being “between Evergreen Elementary and Key Peninsula Middle School”

She is also an active as a master gardener and is looking forward to spending many hours in the soil.

Jarvis said losing Harris will inevitably change the character of the board.

“The addition of even one new board member changes the board,” he said. “It is a new group of individuals which changes how they interact and talk about things and solve problems.”

“Chuck West will be filling her position,” Jarvis said. “He will bring a difference set of life experiences.”

Looking ahead, Harris hopes the Peninsula School Board will begin making progress on the district’s strategic plan, which sets long-term goals and strategies.