WILSON CREEK — Laura Christian is the new superintendent for the Wilson Creek School District.

She replaces Gene Nelson, who was working for the district on a half-time basis. Christian will be a full-time superintendent. Current K-12 principal Sally Nelson will continue as a full-time principal.

Christian comes to Wilson Creek from the Starbuck School District. Starbuck is a kindergarten through eighth grade district, and Christian served as superintendent, principal and half-time teacher, she said. The three classes each had multiple grades. “It was great. I loved the multi-age class.”

Prior to her four years in Starbuck, Christian was principal in Pateros for six years, for Pateros High School and Pateros Elementary School. “I really missed being in a K-12 school,” she said, so when she heard about the job in Wilson Creek she applied.

"I like small schools best," she said.

As superintendent, her job is “taking on the broader scope,” she said, projects like building maintenance, grants, compliance for various federal and state programs. She will be the district’s homeless liaison also.

Board members she has talked to said they would like to encourage growth at Wilson Creek school, she said. There are possibilities for growth, Christian said, but it will depend on the community, Wilson Creek district patrons and what they will support.

Christian said she wants to know the community’s vision for the school and where they want to go. The school needs to reflect what district patrons want.

When it comes time to make decisions, they have to be based on what’s best for Wilson Creek kids. "If it's not going to benefit kids, why are we here?"

Wilson Creek is in the same education service district as Pateros, and Christian got a call from ESD superintendent Rich McBride, welcoming her back home. The people she has met in Wilson Creek have made it feel like home, she said.

“This is a very supportive community.” Teachers, school personnel and district patrons have all worked to make Christian and her husband feel welcome. “Everybody has just been so friendly.” It's a good place to live, a small town that's close to city services, she said.

Christian originally is from the Eatonville area and was a teacher at Eatonville Middle School. She moved to Pateros – she had to look up directions to get there for the interview, she said – and worked to get superintendent certification while in Pateros.

She said she’s looking forward to being in Wilson Creek for a while. During the interview board members asked her about the future, where she saw herself in 10 years. “I said I started in education late, so I’ll still be at my desk. And I hope that desk is in Wilson Creek.”