Art Jarvis is Renton School District Interim Supt.

WAITSBURG – Former Waitsburg teacher, principal, and superintendent Ed Larsen and wife Lynna were pleased to learn that former Waitsburg teacher Art Jarvis was selected as Renton, Wash. School District interim superintendent through 2017.

Jarvis and Larsen began their education careers together in Waitsburg in 1965 where Jarvis taught high school classes, was assistant football coach and girls' basketball coach. Larsen taught middle school social studies before becoming high school principal and eventually, district superintendent.

"Ed and Art had their first jobs together and we had kids the same age," Lynna said. "They weren't here long, but we remained friends for many, many years. He kept moving around and getting promoted until we kind of lost track of them the last couple of years."

A friend of Waitsburg resident Barb Knopp recently sent her a newspaper clipping from the Renton Reporter, which mentioned Jarvis' most recent assignment, along with his start in Waitsburg.

According the Reporter article, Jarvis has served as a junior and senior high school teacher and managed school district operations such as human resources, curriculum and instruction, special education, finance and others, over the course of his 50-year career.

He has served as a superintendent for 28 years in small, medium and large districts including Tacoma, Shelton, Enumclaw and South Whidbey. Jarvis was selected by peers as the 2009 Washington State Superintendent of the Year.