Former South Whidbey School District administrator accepts job in Arlington

ARLINGTON — A school administrator from the South Whidbey School District has accepted a new position in Arlington.

Mike Johnson, the district's director of teaching and learning and former South Whidbey High School principal, will take over as the Arlington School District's executive director of personnel effective June 30.

"This is a great professional and personal opportunity for me," Johnson told the South Whidbey Record.

Johnson will be taking current administrator Shirley Case's position in the district office.

The Arlington School Board unanimously approved the hiring at its March 22 meeting, which was attended by Johnson and his wife.

Arlington School District spokeswoman Misti Gilman said that district official interviewed about six candidates for the position on March 16.

According to its job description, responsibilities of the district administrator include implementing a comprehensive human relations program, managing compliance with state laws and managing open communication with bargaining units, or labor unions.

The executive director of personnel position has a base salary of $119,004.

Johnson took over as principal of South Whidbey High School in 1999, according to the South Whidbey Record and was hired in 2007 to be the district's director of teaching and learning.

As head of school personnel, Johnson could have his work cut our for him as the Arlington School District is facing a possible $2.5 million budget shortfall for the 2010-11 school year.

School officials have said that reducing staff could again be an option for the district this year, which cut $3.8 million from the 2009-10 budget during last year's budgeting process.

Contact Arlington Times Reporter Adam Rudnick at arudnick@arlingtontimes.com or 360-659-1300 Ext. 5056.

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