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St Helens SD 502 board approves contract for Dr. Karen Gray as acting superintendent
Summary
The St Helens SD 502 school board approved a contract to appoint Dr. Karen Gray as acting superintendent during a virtual meeting. Board members welcomed Gray and said she will begin work the week following her arrival; specific contract terms were not disclosed in the transcript.
The St Helens SD 502 school board approved a contract to appoint Dr. Karen Gray as acting superintendent during a virtual meeting, and Gray introduced herself to the board and community.
The appointment was moved and seconded by board members and approved by voice vote, with board leadership saying “Aye.” The board also announced a Feb. 12, 2025, board work session focused on the Oregon School Boards Association board governance essentials workshop.
Dr. Karen Gray, who the board introduced and who said she will begin work the week after her arrival, summarized her background and priorities. “I can't help smiling sitting on here because I'm just super excited, to be able to work with you all. I can't wait. I'm gonna be there on Sunday and start on Monday morning, and I'm I'm raring to go. So I'm Karen Gray,” she said. Gray described more than four decades in education, including roles in California and Oregon and work as a teacher, principal and superintendent at multiple districts. She also said she looks forward to “policy work and budget work and community communications work” with the board.
Board member Trinity thanked Gray for taking the role and emphasized community engagement and student focus. “It'll be wonderful work and all in service of children and families. No matter what happens, I don't ever wanna lose focus on why we're here. The children are what propelled me through 45 years of this work,” Trinity said.
The transcript records the board approving the action item to "approve the contract for acting superintendent" by voice vote; individual roll-call votes and contract specifics (salary, term dates, or other terms) were not specified in the meeting record. Board members spoke about completing a transition to the next superintendent and referenced the transition period through June 30, but the transcript does not list formal contract dates or detailed terms.
The board noted the next meeting is a work session scheduled for Feb. 12, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. to participate in an OSBA board governance essentials workshop. With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
No statutes, ordinances or other legal authorities were cited during the portion of the meeting recorded in the transcript provided.
