Scott Peacock has taken over as superintendent for the Lakewood School District. Since 1993, Peacock has worked for the Snohomish School District as an assistant principal, principal and deputy superintendent. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Scott Peacock has taken over as superintendent for the Lakewood School District. Since 1993, Peacock has worked for the Snohomish School District as an assistant principal, principal and deputy superintendent. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

New Lakewood superintendent brings focus on relationships

Scott Peacock wants to build on the district’s assets — the new high school and tight-knit community

LAKEWOOD — Newly appointed Superintendent Scott Peacock is bringing nearly 20 years of administrative experience to the Lakewood School District.

But he’s more focused on building relationships than advancing any personal agenda.

“(In Snohomish), if people needed to build a barn, they got together and built a barn,” Peacock said. “People come together around kids and schools here in Lakewood. That was something that really got my attention.”

The former Snohomish School District deputy superintendent was selected with a unanimous vote from the school board in June to replace outgoing Superintendent Michael Mack.

Peacock, who started July 1, said he wants to make sure the district is an inclusive place for its families.

“Whenever you’re at the apex of the organization, the biggest change is you,” he said. “Every time you go to a new place with new people, those dynamics are different. Everyone needs a place to be who they need to be. My commitment to this community is to provide places for people to have that opportunity.”

So far, he added, the transition has been smooth.

“I felt like there’s been no question I couldn’t ask,” Peacock said. “And there’s been no time where I feel like anybody hasn’t given me the straight answer. And that’s all I can ask.”

Peacock started working for the Snohomish School District in 1993. He taught English and history before becoming a middle school principal and eventually serving as an assistant superintendent.

Now, he’s at the helm of a smaller district with about 7,000 fewer students than Snohomish. Lakewood has nearly 2,500 students, a number that has remained fairly steady over the past five years.

Maintaining a budget is a challenge that comes with that, he said.

“Right now, I’m wrestling with how in the long term we, as a small district, do what we want to do in a way that’s sustainable given the fact the state isn’t fully funding education, despite all the rhetoric that’s out there,” he said.

Another focus is taking advantage of the district’s brand new high school, which was funded from a $66.8 million bond measure passed in 2014.

“If there’s certain kinds of experiences we want kids to have, how can we leverage this building to maximize those experiences,” he said.

In the classroom, Peacock said, it’s important to show students how to build meaningful relationships.

“People are talking about the social, emotional learning of kids being foundational to student learning,” he said. “It’s not always about a test or a quiz on Friday.”

Outside of the district, he’s a doctoral candidate at the University of Washington. His dissertation is on how Snohomish used New Deal policies to pull the community out of the Great Depression.

“When I look at translating that work, there’s a lot of lessons to be found,” he said.

Bringing in diverse voices and meeting with groups big and small, he added, are keys to realizing those lessons.

“That’s where the magic happens,” Peacock said.

Joseph Thompson: 425-339-3430; jthompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @byjoeythompson.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

City of Everett Engineer Tom Hood, left, and City of Everett Engineer and Project Manager Dan Enrico, right, talks about the current Edgewater Bridge demolition on Friday, May 9, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How do you get rid of a bridge? Everett engineers can explain.

Workers began dismantling the old Edgewater Bridge on May 2. The process could take one to two months, city engineers said.

Smoke from the Bolt Creek fire silhouettes a mountain ridge and trees just outside of Index on Sept. 12, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County will host two wildfire-preparedness meetings in May

Meetings will allow community members to learn wildfire mitigation strategies and connect with a variety of local and state agencies.

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Vehicles travel along Mukilteo Speedway on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo cameras go live to curb speeding on Speedway

Starting Friday, an automated traffic camera system will cover four blocks of Mukilteo Speedway. A 30-day warning period is in place.

Carli Brockman lets her daughter Carli, 2, help push her ballot into the ballot drop box on the Snohomish County Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Here’s who filed for the primary election in Snohomish County

Positions with three or more candidates will go to voters Aug. 5 to determine final contenders for the Nov. 4 general election.

Students from Explorer Middle School gather Wednesday around a makeshift memorial for Emiliano “Emi” Munoz, who died Monday, May 5, after an electric bicycle accident in south Everett. (Aspen Anderson / The Herald)
Community and classmates mourn death of 13-year-old in bicycle accident

Emiliano “Emi” Munoz died from his injuries three days after colliding with a braided cable.

Danny Burgess, left, and Sandy Weakland, right, carefully pull out benthic organisms from sediment samples on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Got Mud?’ Researchers monitor the health of the Puget Sound

For the next few weeks, the state’s marine monitoring team will collect sediment and organism samples across Puget Sound

Cal Brennan, 1, sits inside of a helicopter during the Paine Field Community Day on Saturday, May 17, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Children explore world of aviation at Everett airport

The second annual Paine Field Community Day gave children the chance to see helicopters, airplanes and fire engines up close.

A person walks past Laura Haddad’s “Cloud” sculpture before boarding a Link car on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 in SeaTac, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sound Transit seeks input on Everett bike, pedestrian improvements

The transit agency is looking for feedback about infrastructure improvements around new light rail stations.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Dani Mundell, the athletic director at Everett Public Schools, at Everett Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Everett Public Schools to launch girls flag football as varsity sport

The first season will take place in the 2025-26 school year during the winter.

A “SAVE WETLANDS” poster is visible under an seat during a public hearing about Critical Area Regulations Update on ordinance 24-097 on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Council passes controversial critical habitat ordinance

People testified for nearly two hours, with most speaking in opposition to the new Critical Areas Regulation.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.