The North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) Board announced three finalists for the superintendent position through a press release.
NTPS’s outgoing Superintendent, Dr. Debra J. Clemens, announced her retirement earlier this January, and her last day in office will be June 30.
"The quality of applicants was impressive, and we are grateful to the community for being engaged throughout this process," said NTPS School Board President Gretchen Maliska, as stated in the press release. "We are committed to determining which of these highly qualified candidates best matches our district's needs and priorities, with continued feedback from our stakeholders."
NTPS serves more than 14,400 students in South Puget Sound, with 13 elementary schools, four middle schools, three comprehensive high schools, and four choice schools.
Last January, the board completed a request for professional services and identified Ray & Associates to facilitate the process by using the board’s Organizational Continuity policy to assess the current environment, organizational strengths, and areas for improvement.
In February, the Board discussed with staff, students, parents, and community partners to collate qualities they wanted to see in the next superintendent.
The board reviewed applicants from March 1 to 26 and announced the finalists on March 27.
This April 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., the board will conduct an in-person interview of the finalists. Community members can also attend to meet the candidates.
The new superintendent is set to be announced in April and take over the position on July 1.
Three finalists are being scrutinized for the position: Dr. Justin Ainsworth, Dr. Thu Ament, and Mr. Troy Oliver.
Dr. Justin Ainsworth is associate superintendent in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District in Palmer, Alaska. He had two decades of experience in public education. Dr. Ainsworth earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Southern Oregon University, a master’s degree in teaching from Pacific University, and a Doctor of Education from William Howard Taft University.
Dr. Thu Ament is the deputy superintendent of the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District. He has a 27-year public education career spent in Tacoma and Sumner-Bonney Lake. Dr. Ament earned his two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree at Central Washington University. He also has a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Washington. He earned his Doctor of Education at Washington State University.
Mr. Troy Oliver is NTPS’s assistant superintendent of operations. He has 34 years of public education experience, 27 of which have been with NTPS. Before that, he was principal at Komachin Middle School. Mr. Oliver earned his bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in English at Whitworth University in Spokane. He earned a Master of Education in Educational Administration in 1995 from the same university. He earned his superintendent certification from Washington State University.
Interested individuals may visit NTPS’s 2024 superintendent search page to learn more about the process and finalists.
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