New superintendant is diving right in to island life

Published 4:35 pm Tuesday, August 26, 2014

When the Webbs first visited Orcas, it was during the quiet month of April.

After moving here last month, they have had a much different experience.

“I just jumped right into work – it’s been fast and furious,” said new Orcas School Superintendent Eric Webb. “And town is bustling. I’ve been meeting new people, getting the background on the school and understanding the district.”

Webb is replacing superintendent Barbara Kline, who worked for the district for 24 years, first as middle and high school principal and then as superintendent. His first impression of the school is that it is supported by a strong faculty.

“I’ve been more than pleased with the staff,” Webb said. “I will be able to evaluate more once school is in session … It takes everyone in the district to make it successful. It doesn’t matter what your role is – we are all a team.”

Webb also has kind words for the school board.

“It is a very stable, informed board – you don’t find that everywhere,” he said.

Within a few weeks of being on the job, Webb had to deal with three break-ins and the theft of laptops at the school over a seven-day period.

“The damage to the doors will cost more than the items taken,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that this is happening right at the start of school. And each door that is broken or laptop stolen is money taken away from the kids.”

He is looking at installing motion sensor lights and security cameras and shifting custodian hours to include night-time work.

When asked how he handles bullying, Webb says it cannot be taken lightly.

“Both the aggressor and the victim need to be spoken to,” he said. “Sometimes it’s about defining what bullying means. It’s a problem in most districts and a lot of it goes to educating teachers, administration and students about it.”

The Webbs moved to Orcas after living in Oklahoma for the past 10 years. Webb says they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to live on an island.

His 18-year-old daughter Mesa has been working at Brown Bear Bakery and is “loving it.”

She will be studying biological anthropology and Spanish at Western Washington University in the fall.

His son, McCabe, will be in the ninth grade. He has been teaching sailing at West Sound and participating in the youth group at the Community Church.

Eric and his wife Jana have already hosted a visit from family members.

“We are now the destination spot,” he laughed.

Eric worked as an elementary through high school teacher before obtaining his administration certification. He served as assistant principal in Texas, then moved to Oklahoma to a district of 1,400 students and 125 staff. There he spent four years as a middle school principal, six years as an assistant superintendent, and just finished serving as assistant and interim superintendent.

Eric’s experience includes working with a team to manage an $11 million budget. His average class in Oklahoma was 120 kids; on Orcas, it is 24 kids.

“We knew that now was the time,” Eric said. “It was very difficult to leave the people we were close to, but we had to see what else is out there. Our son’s dream is to be a marine biologist, so we wanted him to be closer to the water. And we now have access to all the outdoor activities we like to do.”

The first day of school is Sept. 3, and Eric is looking forward to sharing his philosophy.

“I do what is best for the kids,” Eric said. “Our primary objective is student learning. The education of our students is what will make them successful in life.”