EPHRATA - During their regular meeting last week, the Ephrata School Board appointed Casey Devine as a school board director. They also voted 3-1 to offer Ken Murray, who has acted as interim superintendent since early last year, a three-year contract as full-time superintendent.  

“Ken’s performance over the past six months has been exceptional, above and beyond our expectations,” said Ephrata School Board President, Jim Adams. “His dedication to Ephrata and to Ephrata Schools is evident in his actions. Though our vote was not unanimous, it reflects the thoughtful deliberation of the board. All members are united in their support for Ken’s leadership as we move forward together.” 

Wednesday morning, Murray met with community members at The Bookery in Ephrata to answer questions about the district’s current replacement levy election and general inquiries about school district operations.  

“Common questions today were just really, it was broader than just our (Educational Programs and Operations levy),” Murray said. “It was really kind of, ‘Who is Ephrata? What is Ephrata?’ Just really seek and understand, you know, what are we doing to be responsive to our current realities.”  

Much of the discussion was regarding how the district compares local student success to other districts and how the district evaluates student achievement in general. Murray said ESD does compare itself to districts across the state. While the comparison might show a solid performance for the district, he said he and his staff are still always looking for how they can be better.  

Part of that analysis is evolving, Murray said. While the district has looked at careers post-graduation, he wants a closer look at that to view how ESD students succeed or not after they leave the district.  

“We do some analysis of that, but we’ve recognized that that’s something we want to do at a deeper level,” he said.  

When it comes to the position of superintendent being made permanent, Murray said he’s committed to serving Ephrata for the long term. He is a graduate of Ephrata High and while his career took him to other districts for a while, he’s where he feels he needs to be.  

“Here’s the thing. I bleed orange and black. Ephrata matters to me; I want the future of Ephrata to be better than the past of Ephrata,” he said.  

Meanwhile, Devine will be taking over the District 3 position on the board that was vacated by Anita Waller in November. Devine is a long-time employee of St. Rose of Lima Catholic School and taught PE and health and nutrition director during her time there. She is currently the Ephrata Youth Basketball Director for the Amateur Athletic Union, Local Chapter. 

“I am passionate about the potential of our students and the value of a strong educational foundation,” said Devine. “As a director, I’m looking forward to collaborating with the board to ensure that every child in Ephrata has access to the resources, support and opportunities they need to succeed.”

The Columbia Basin Herald is working with the Ephrata School District to coordinate an interview with Devine and discuss her goals for her term on the board.
 

    Murray