Seattle Public Schools made several announcements today regarding personnel, but the most significant for West Seattle was the naming of the new principal at West Seattle High School, to succeed the departing Bruce Bivins. They also named new principals for Alki Elementary and Madison Middle School.

Here's the SPS press release:
Ruth Medsker has been appointed interim principal at West Seattle High School.

For the past five years, Ms. Medsker has served as an education director for Seattle Public Schools, during which time she directly supervised nine middle schools and 10 K-8 schools in the district.

Prior to that time, she was principal and assistant principal at Seattle’s Mercer Middle School. In 2004, Medsker received the Alliance for Education’s Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence for outstanding leadership. She also received two awards from the Association from Washington School Principals: as a Seattle Regional Distinguished Principal in 2004 and as a Seattle Regional Distinguished Assistant Principal in 2003.

Her teaching experience includes work as a math, reading, health and special education-resource teacher at Whitman Middle School and as a special education-emotional behavior disabilities teacher at McClure Middle School.

She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Washington State University and a Master of School Administration from Western Washington University. She replaces current principal Bruce Bivins, who has resigned to take a position in California.

Ostrom is new at Highland Park Elementary
Ben Ostrom has been appointed principal at Highland Park Elementary School, effective July 1, 2010.
Mr. Ostrom comes to Highland Park Elementary from ORCA K-8, where he has served as principal since 2003. Prior to ORCA, he spent three years as principal at Loyal Heights Elementary.

He also has extensive classroom experience, including six years as an elementary teacher at both Cooper Elementary School and Madrona K-8 school. Mr. Ostrom received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and a Masters in Teaching from Seattle University. He also completed the Danforth Educational Leadership Program at the University of Washington.

He replaces Ann Gray, who is leaving to take a position with another school district.

In addition, Dr. Goodloe-Johnson announced that the following principals who had been serving in an interim role have been named principals of their respective schools: Clover Codd, Alki Elementary; and Henterson Carlisle, Madison Middle School