Dr. Susan Enfield, superintendent of Highline Public Schools, greets a student on the first day of school.
The Highline School Board unanimously approved a three-year contract extension for Superintendent Susan Enfield at its regular meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
Dr. Enfield’s contract will now run through June, 2019 (download PDF of her contract here).
Her salary will increase to $230,679.
“We are pleased our graduation rate is rising and that our district is making progress toward our bold goals,” said Highline School Board President Michael Spear. “This is a vote of confidence in Superintendent Enfield’s leadership and her commitment to working with our community and staff to ensure our students graduate prepared for college and career.”
Last year, the graduation rate increased from 62.9 percent to 70.3 percent for the Class of 2015. This reflected an increase of more than nine percentage points since the Class of 2010, the year the state began using the current formula for calculating graduation rates. Final data is not available yet on the graduation rate for the Class of 2016; however, it is expected to reflect a continued increase.
“As I begin my fifth year as Highline’s superintendent, I want to thank the board for their continued confidence in my leadership. It is truly an honor to serve the students, families and community of Highline, and work alongside the extraordinary staff across our district,” Superintendent Enfield said. “Our successes are a testament to the power of high expectations, the strength of our partnerships with families and community, and the dedication of our outstanding teachers and staff.”
Under Dr. Enfield’s leadership, community members, families, staff and students came together to develop a four-year strategic plan outlining ambitious goals for students, including a goal for “at least 19 out of 20 students to graduate high school prepared to choose their future.” The strategic plan runs through 2017. Dr. Enfield is now looking forward to involving the community in refining the strategic plan for the years ahead.
“Our work is far from done, and I remain deeply committed to our promise that every student in Highline Public Schools is known by name, strength, and need, and graduates ready for college, career, and citizenship,” Dr. Enfield added.
The extension includes a state-funded 1.8% salary increase that all district employees received this year. Enfield has not received a salary increase beyond cost of living adjustments since she was hired in 2012.
Dr. Enfield began as Highline Superintendent in July 2012. Before coming to Highline, she served as Chief Academic Officer and Interim Superintendent at Seattle Public Schools. Previously, she held leadership positions in Evergreen School District (Vancouver, Washington), Portland Public Schools, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Dr. Enfield earned master’s degrees in education from Stanford University and Harvard University. She holds a doctoral degree in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University with a concentration in the Urban Superintendents Program.