LAKE STEVENS — After nearly four decades in education, Dave Burgess will retire as superintendent of the Lake Stevens School District in 2011.
Burgess, 60, has worked for Lake Stevens for 16 years, first as a high school principal before taking on top positions in the central office.
He’s in his sixth year as superintendent of the district of 7,800 students. Burgess, whose salary is $221,052, announced his retirement at Wednesday night’s school board meeting. It takes effect Aug. 1, 2011.
“It’s bittersweet in so many ways,” Burgess said. “These jobs as superintendent just require your attention virtually every waking hour. I don’t know what it is like to wake up and not be worried about a budget, something happening in a building, a staff member with an illness or a tragedy involving a student.”
Burgess was a history and PE teacher for 18 years, starting his career in Hoquiam.
Burgess and his wife, Gail, plan to remain in the Lake Stevens area where their four grown children live and three grandsons attend school.
“My roots are here now,” he said.
Burgess said he has many fond memories of his time with the district.
None are more dear to him than one spring day when he was Lake Stevens High School principal and his son, Brent, who is developmentally delayed, was a student.
The student body voted Brent to be a freshmen spring prom prince. When Brent walked by the senior section at an assembly, he received a standing ovation.
To this day, Burgess has a photo in his office of Brent in a tuxedo alongside two beautiful girls who wanted to be his prom date.
“I knew then that this (place) is truly special,” he said.
Burgess said he wanted to announce his retirement a year early to give the school board ample time to find his replacement.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
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