North Thurston Public Schools Superintendent announces retirement

Dr. Debra J. Clemens, North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) Superintendent, announced her retirement at the district’s board meeting yesterday.

“I want to announce my decision to retire at the end of this academic school year,” said Clemens. “The decision I'm making is because my husband retired last year and we would like to spend more time together, as well as the fact that my father has had some health issues.”  She said they plan to spend more time in Wisconsin, where they both grew up.

After serving as the superintendent of the county’s largest school district for more than seven years (since July 2016), Clemens’ last day in office will be on June 30.

The NTPS board accepted Clemens’ retirement unanimously and will now initiate the process of looking for the next superintendent, who will assume the office in July.

Board president Gretchen Maliska thanked Clemens for her “unwavering leadership, steering the districts for challenges including the complexities of a pandemic, ensuring financial stability, [improving] graduation rates, [and the] establishment of three choice schools and significant infrastructure improvements.”

The district reported that during Clemens’ tenure, the district opened three new schools – Envision Career Academy, Ignite Family Academy, and Summit Virtual Academy.

Clemens also established a Student Advisory Council to help include student voices during district decision-making and the Future-Ready Kindergarten program that opened free, early-entrance kindergartens in the district.

“This has been the honor of my life, to serve as the superintendent of North Thurston Public Schools,” Clemens added. “We have such an incredible community.”

“I appreciate how the entire community supports our schools. We have such a dedicated, hard-working staff,” Clemens said.

In early 2023, The Olympian reported that Clemens was considered as one of the four finalists for the superintendent position at the Capital Region Educational Service District (ESD) 113. Former Tukwila School District Superintendent Dr. Lester “Flip” Herndon’ was selected instead.