Superintendent Bartling retiring

After 10 years as Boundary Country School District superintendent, Don Bartling will retire on June 30.

“It is a bittersweet thing…I’m really going to miss it,” said Bartling. “It was a hard decision for me but I’ll be 62 in December. I had the opportunity to retire, so I took it.”

During the past 10 years, Bartling has seen many changes in the district, including the building of the new high school, the improvement of six other buildings, the closing of the old junior high and the closing of Evergreen Elementary.

“There have been changes, some good…but not as many as I was hoping for,”  saud Bartling. “There is still more I would like to do.”

As the longest-running superintendent in the Boundary County School District, Bartling believes it is important to have stability for improving the curriculum, programs, buildings and relationships with the community.

The next superintendent “has to be a special person” according to Bartling.

He said that the school district will do a national search to find the best person for the school district and the community.

“We will work hard to make it a smooth transition,” said Bartling. “I want it to be a positive experience for everybody.”

Bartling plans on staying in Boundary County and spending more time hunting and fishing.