Northshore School Board Selects Michael Tolley as Interim Superintendent

The Northshore School Board voted on May 27 to offer a one-year contract to Michael Tolley to serve as our interim superintendent.

Mr. Tolley currently serves as the assistant superintendent for the east region of Northshore School District, as well as oversees Special Services departments including Special Education, Student Services, and Accelerated Models and Programs.

Mr. Tolley was chosen because of his strong commitment to equity, as well as his experience and relationships within the district. He will continue to ensure our district best meets the needs of students, following the resignation of Dr. Michelle Reid, who is leaving the district after six years to take a superintendency on the East Coast. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael Tolley into the interim superintendency for the next year. We know he will provide consistency and knowledge of our district as we work to find a permanent replacement for Dr. Reid,” said Jacqueline McGourty, Northshore School Board President. “Michael Tolley is committed to equitable outcomes for students and can step into this position to ensure we have a strong 2022-23 school year.”

Michael Tolley was selected by the school board after a thorough selection process that included community feedback. In the community survey that closed on May 13, respondents identified eight traits that the interim leader should possess. The school board added three additional traits they wanted to see in an interim superintendent. From these 11 traits, the board created interview questions and interviewed five final candidates on May 25-27.

The school board took a vote to place Mr. Tolley in the position of interim superintendent at their May 27 meeting. The contract will be negotiated and voted on by the Board next month. The Board will begin the process this fall of engaging the community in finding a long-term superintendent to start next summer.

Michael Tolley is the Assistant Superintendent for the East Region in the Northshore School District. In this role he provides direct supervision of school leaders as well as oversight of Special Services departments including Special Education, Student Services, and Accelerated Models and Programs. Previously, Mr. Tolley served as Assistant and Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, as well as Chief Academic Officer for Seattle Public Schools. In his early years with Seattle, Mr. Tolley was Director of High Schools, where he supervised school leaders at all 18 high schools in the district. He also served as Executive Director of Schools, Southeast Region, supervising K-12 school leaders. 

Before moving to Washington State, Mr. Tolley’s years as an educator were spent in the Charleston County School District and the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina. There, he spent 17 years in the classroom as a biology/marine biology teacher and chairperson of the Science Departments. Tolley served in roles as Assistant Principal, Principal and Interim Associate Superintendent while in South Carolina.

Mr. Tolley earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston (1980). He went on to earn his Master’s in Education (1987), as well as his Education Specialist degree and Superintendent certification (2004) from The Citadel. He currently holds superintendent and principal certifications in both Washington and South Carolina.

“Obtaining equitable outcomes for our students has been a focus for me for more than a decade,” Tolley said. “I am excited to contribute to Northshore’s commitment to equity that will ensure that each and every one of our students is successful, particularly those who are the furthest away from educational and social justice. I am looking forward to engaging with our students, their families, our educators and the community.”

The community shared that a focus on support services for students should be an immediate focus of the interim leader. Mr. Tolley brings with him the experience overseeing Student Support Services and is looking forward to continuing to build on the strong foundation in place.  

Michael Tolley will begin his work as interim superintendent on July 1 and will prioritize consistency for students, staff, and families, for a smooth transition as we close out the school year and plan for the 2022-2023 school year. Staff will work to backfill his responsibilities as he steps into the interim superintendency. 

To view the school board meeting, including the board’s vote on Mr. Tolley, please visit https://www.nsd.org/our-district/leadership/school-board/view-board-meeting-materials 

“Thank you to everyone who participated in this process, and we look forward to additional partnerships this fall in our search for the permanent superintendent,” McGourty said.