Granger accepts new position

The Blaine school district needs to begin a search for a new superintendent.

The Sultan school district voted unanimously to hire current Blaine school district superintendent Dr. Christopher Granger as its next superintendent during a March 6 special board meeting.

Sultan school board chair Gigi Gouldner confirmed to The Northern Light that an offer was made to Granger, and that Granger had signed a letter of intent to join the Sultan school district.

According to the letter of intent, Granger’s contract starts July 1. A contract between Granger and the Sultan school district is still being worked out, and a final salary could not be confirmed by press time. The letter of intent wording shows the salary will likely be in the $200,000 range, which is similar to Granger’s current salary of nearly $216,000.

The Sultan school board began its superintendent search in September 2024. The position received 24 applicants, which was narrowed down to six by February 19. On March 1, the board narrowed down the search to three finalists: Lauri Landerholm, assistant superintendent of La Center school district, Dr. Nathan Plummer, principal of Heritage Tulalip High School, and Granger.

Granger spent a day touring the Sultan school district on March 4, and was awarded the position during the March 6 board meeting.

Granger held the reins as superintendent of Blaine school district for six years of particularly turbulent times in the Blaine community and the country. Granger started during the 2019-20 school year, when classes moved online because of Covid-19.

Granger oversaw the district through multiple bond and levy elections by local voters that brought more funding to the school. While property tax levies invariably passed, the bond levies were consistently rejected.

Granger also presided over three consecutive years of budget cuts that have seen roughly 100 full-time employees lose their jobs at the district due to state funding and enrollment shortfalls.

In February 2024, Granger was named one of three finalists for an open superintendent position at the Ellensburg school district, but ultimately was not selected.

The Sultan school district is on State Highway 2 in Snohomish County, roughly 25 miles east of Everett. It has an enrollment of 2,204 students for the 2024-25 school year and 153 teachers, according to data from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.